Almost Isn't Good Enough
by Watevs15
Summary: A year after the unraveling of Azula, Ty Lee visits her ailing friend. Can they find a way to put the pieces back together, or is almost whole going to have to be good enough? Rated M so please be aware of that.
1. Ch 1: Flashes

Lightning flashed across the sky above the tiny island illuminating a ghostly face. Tears streaked down from the perpetual wooden gaze as the rain pelted the village roofs. She was awake, always awake. The statue of Kyoshi never slept, a fate her newest adoptive daughter shared with her lately.

This new daughter, so unlike her others, was not originally trained in her warriors' way. No, this newest Kyoshi warrior known as Ty Lee was forged in the embers of a warring Fire Nation. Even dressed in full Kyoshi warrior regalia and the obscuring make-up her over-powering otherness could not be hidden.

Over the past year the statue of Kyoshi had watched this overly perky girl change from interloper to full-fledged Kyoshi Warrior in the eyes of all the villagers. Here Ty lee had seemed to make a home for herself and the statue no longer glared down suspiciously on her glossy brown hair, but instead gazed over her with the same motherly-stern expression that Kyoshi held for all her villagers.

Even so Kyoshi could see through her daughter's smiles, and what she saw there made her turn her wooden gaze every night upon the humble shack by the seashore that Ty Lee resided in. Night after night her painted pupils would seek out the last lantern burning in the dark and watch over her strangest warrior, and this night was no different.

As the storm grew stronger, rending the night sky in two again and again, the statue's eyes filled and over-flowed. These would by no means be the last tears cried this night, for beneath raging skies and ever-watchful eyes twisted and turned a girl wrapped in green sheets and guilt.

A bolt of lightning flowed through the tiny window of Ty Lee's shack and slipped through the slightly gapped curtains and flooded the sparsely furnished room with blue light. It lingered around the green cocoon lying on the bed, but then it drew back as quickly as it had crested.

Ty Lee's disgruntled, pouting face appeared out of the cocoon of blankets and groaned in frustration at the likelihood of yet another sleepless night. She had always been a sound sleeper before…

BOOM!

Thunder reverberated in her skull gratefully sending her haunting memories spiraling from her brain.

Another blue flash, another memory.

The predatory smile transformed into a snarl of rage.

A split second to decide.

A split second to tear her heart in two.

She chose what she could live with, but apparently not sleep with.

BOOM… Ty Lee whimpered and snuggled down deeper into her Earth Kingdom green sheets. Everything around Ty Lee was green now, from her blankets to her curtains. Even her clothes had lost their characteristic hue to be replaced by the supposedly soothing color of grass.

Ty Lee sighed and looked around her new home. It was like the very Earth had coated the insides of her abode. The brown of dirt and mud clung to the walls, floor, and ceiling and covered the two chairs, table, and bed. The cushions and one decorative tapestry were as green as grass. And everything was made of wood.

This sea-side cottage, this town, this whole kingdom was a world apart from the world she had grown up in. As the shaking from the thunder finally stopped, Ty Lee could no longer tell whether she liked her new surroundings better than the old, or even if she missed or resented the past.

There was to be no more pink, red, or black, and that most dreaded and missed color of Fire Nation gold was nothing but a dull brass at best on this island to her eyes. It had been months since those familiar bold and cold colors had entranced her mind, and she had been decidedly missing them lately. There was a certain comfort in them that she felt lacking in this world of greens and browns and the occasional blue.

Flash. Crack. BOOM!

Ty Lee could no longer cower in her bed, wrapped up in the foreign greens. There was something that would not let her sleep again and the storm in particular called to her. She somersaulted free from her blankets, hand-sprung toward the window, and threw open the green curtains to stare at the raging beast outside.

Maybe it was the electric energy that leapt and crackled crazily about the night sky or maybe it was the wild dark intent that amassed the dark silhouettes above the island, but, whatever it was, Ty Lee couldn't help but to remember her. After all, the stories had all stated that she had become nothing more than a powerful, rabid beast.

Lightning cast a hard glare into the little room. Had anyone been around they would have marveled at the resemblance between the wooden and the living statues in the village of Kyoshi.

BOOM!

"Oh, Azula." Ty Lee whispered as she slumped to the floor.

That name was the reason for her sleepless nights and excess tears. Her dear friend, her princess, her guilt. Azula, the firebending goddess, had been invincible until Ty Lee and Mai had cut her legs out from under her. They each had done what they had to do. Ty Lee would do it all over again to save Mai from Azula's rash temper, but she wished she could've saved Azula from herself as well.

Flash.

Too late now. Azula's mind had burned up in the intense blaze of her own fire. It was consumed so that not even the healing waters of Katara the waterbender could quell the flames.

Boom!

Azula's fire, it's what had first drawn Ty Lee in like a moth to the flame. Azula had been all intensity and gravity, while Ty Lee had been aimlessly floating around with nothing to orbit. However, Azula found her and saw her potential. She roped her into her orbit and became the sun in Ty Lee's life.

Flash.

Yes, a sun, a storm, a force of nature was what Azula had been. No matter how hard Ty Lee tried she could not escape the animalistic draw Azula possessed on her. Even now with an ocean and a severed link to reality between them Ty could still feel the pull.

Crack!

Ty could no longer deny the tug on her conscience. Something had to be done. Ty Lee was an acrobat and she knew that sometimes the only way to regain balance was to shift. The only problem she faced was how she should shift this time. Should she sate this apparent insatiable urge and give into Azula's gravity once more or should she admit there was no life in the past and commit to her new life? She could no longer walk the tightrope in between her past life and her new life on Kyoshi. She would have to choose. Ty Lee knew the wise and prudent thing would be to move on, but...

BOOM!

But Ty Lee was neither wise nor prudent. Those were things better left to Mai or at one time Azula. No, Ty Lee had always and would always follow her heart no matter the consequences, and her heart had always and would always be with Azula. She had to return. She had to set things right. If that meant falling for good...Well Ty Lee was an acrobat and she was always prepared to fall.

With one final flash and roar the beast moved out back to sea. The storm was over both inside and out. Ty Lee exhaustedly dragged her leaden feet back to the brown bed and wrapped herself in another green cocoon. Sleep would at last be hers. The choice had been made so Ty knew the way would come along.

As the sun rose only Kyoshi stood guard over her village and sleeping children.


	2. Ch 2: The Way

Hey there all! So I have decided since life is hectic that I will update with frequent short chapters. Anything is better than nothing after all, eh?

Anyways, enjoy and review if you wish.

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. If I did I wouldn't have stayed up two nights in a row working on a midterm paper based on the rise of the 1930's European Leftist movement... The horror!

* * *

"Form up girls!" Ty Lee's strict and yet kind captain, Suki, needed only slightly raise her voice to get her troops back on their feet after yet another long training session.

Through the dojo's open doorway afternoon sun shone brightly off Suki's headdress making Ty Lee's eyes squint and nose scrunch up. As Ty stared at her captain of nearly a year she couldn't help but notice the distinct differences between her now and past leaders. The comparison equated to the difference between love and fear. And yet here she was trying to find her way back to the fear. Maybe she really was as air headed as everyone thought she was.

"I have an…interesting proposal. As we all know the first anniversary of the end of the Great War is coming up soon. As a sign of the goodwill between the nations it has been decided that representatives from each country will visit the other nations' capitals."

Ty Lee didn't even dare to hope that Suki was heading towards the point that Ty guessed she was. She held her breath as Suki continued.

"Due to my familiarity with Fire Lord Zuko, the Earth King has asked the Kyoshi Warriors to attend the Peace Festival at the Fire Nation capital. Once there we will act as guards to the Earth Kingdom ambassadors and delegates for a year. We can decline the Earth King's request of course, but I for one think it is our duty to go." Suki's lowered brows raised and her face cracked into a radiant smile as she finished her speech in her usual manner, "Besides it could be fun! So what do you girls think?"

Ty Lee lunged at her captain before anyone could respond. The bone-crushing bear hug and high-pitched squeal making her fellow teammates snicker at their rambunctious friend.

"Oh can we please, please, please, please go? I've been missing home soooooo much. Not that I don't like it here or anything cause I do! But everything is so so so green here, and I miss red and black and…well can?"

Suki wasn't sure what was making her head reel more: the fact that she couldn't breathe due to Ty Lee's hug or the rate of the acrobat's rapid-fire speech.

"Ty…can't. Breathe."

"Whoops! Sorry Suki…I mean Captain Suki. I kinda got excited." Ty's blush mixed with her white face paint to give her face a pink glow as she waited for her captain to catch her breath.

"Well I guess we know where Ty Lee stands." Suki favored Ty with a gentle smile before continuing: "So are we gonna break her heart or pack our bags?"

A few whoops and hollers later the consensus was clear, and the warriors dismissed. Ty Lee was going home.

* * *

Sooooo... You like? Watevs... Ha!

Side note: I really did write a paper on the Leftist movement (AKA communism/socialism/social democracy) & I have found interesting parallels between Azula and Stalin. Paranoia is an interesting subject.

Anyhow over and out fools!


	3. Ch 3: Spray and Tears

Hello folks! So just got my notebook with my work back...Joy! So as an extra special bonus for all you good lil boys and girls out there who A) give a damn & B) have been oh so patiently awaiting the next chappie I'm gonna give you all TWO chappies. That's right, TWO!

Enjoy my darlings & as always review if you feel so inclined... I do so love to here from you all!

Disclaimor: I do not own ATLA... If I did I would not be typing this up to the sound of pool balls clanking against one another.

* * *

The ocean spray wetted Ty Lee's cheeks making her warrior's makeup run as she leaned over the bow of the ship. It had been over five minutes since word from the control tower of the Fire Nation ship had come down to the deck that land had been spotted. And there it was; a mere speck rising from the smooth ocean. Soon Ty Lee would be home

"Good thing Kiko reminded you to grab your makeup kit." Ty Lee twirled around in surprise accidently whipping the stealthy Suki in the eye with her braid.

"Oh Suki! I'm so sorry! You scared me. Are you ok?"

"Yah, I've had worse. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just coming to tell you that the captain said we will be arriving shortly, and we should be ready to land. Are **you** ok?"

Ty Lee burst into a smile that seemed to spread off her face before exclaiming: "Yep! I'm going home and seeing old friends for a year. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh no reason… So you are going to visit old friends?" Suki pointedly stared Ty Lee straight in the eye. There was no escaping that look and Ty knew it.

"Well of course silly! I've been dying to see Mai and Zuko. They make such a cute couple, don't you think?"

Ty knew as soon as Suki's eyebrows lowered that the conversation was about to go **there**.

"Hmmm… Yes, I suppose they do. Are they the only old acquaintances you plan on visiting? Zuko says she's allowed visitors you know."

Ty Lee turned away from her captain's pitying stare and faced the now looming Gates of Light. Ty Lee remembered when they had been known as the Gates of Sozin. Azula once told her that one-day they'd be named for herself instead of her great-grandfather. At the time Ty had been so sure that it would happen. Azula was so strong if made sense that her name alone would guard the Capital. But that was then, and, as the cliché went, this was now.

Now it seemed the only thing Azula's name would be used for was a cautionary footnote in the history books that Ty hated so much. As the ship passed under the gates Ty couldn't help but think of Azula huddled behind the closest thing to a gate with her name on it that there would ever be.

Yes, Ty knew that Azula was allowed visitors now. She had gained that much information from Mia's letters. Although the acrobat never directly asked her perpetually gray friend about their fallen leader, she nevertheless managed to slip Ty updates on the crazed princess.

From Mia's updates Ty had gathered a pretty vague, and yet vivid in her imaginative mind, image of the once proud princess' downfall. It all started out with sedatives, an isolated island, clean white padded walls, screaming, chains and muzzles, healers and guards. She screamed and raged with all her might for two months. The indignant and yet necessary devices used to protect healers, workers, guards, and patient alike were used for two more months after the raving mad fits had settled down to mumbling arguments and soundless sobs. Fear is a slow moving emotion once it enters the system and the broken girl in the corner was a powerful vector of this emotional disease. The Avatar might have refused to bend her fire away, but he wasn't against restraints and drugs, so it continued. The month after that Mai was happy to report that the muzzle had been removed. Ty half-heartedly cheered, but the clanking chains and inconspicuous yet damning chemicals weighed her down still. Finally three months later the once manicured hands were free at last, but her commanding voice had faltered. It had taken three months of silence to remove the chains/

That was the last true update. Sure after three more months of empty silence the healers agreed that maybe she needed familiar faces to bring her back, but it hadn't helped yet. No one thought of reducing the sedatives. That would wreck all of her vast progress. They had after all taken a raging broken beast and turned her into a statue of a broken beast. Vast progress indeed.

"Hellooooo, Ty… You in there?" Suki tapped on the back of her charge's skull to snap Ty out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh I just got lost in my head, you know? What were we talking about?"

Suki rolled her eyes, but repeated herself nonetheless. "I asked you if you were planning on visiting Azula…"

Ty Lee's face turned into an uncharacteristic frown before she answered: "Yes, I do. Is that acceptable Captain?"

Suki's sigh held all the answer Ty Lee needed, but she continued to listen anyways. "Ty Lee, as you captain I must tell you that you are a representative of the Earth Kingdom's and Fire Nation's new found peace. You in particular are a special example of this joint attempt at coexisting. I do not know if it is wise of you to risk that image by visiting a well-known symbol of the old way of life."

Suki paused to collect her thoughts. Just as Ty Lee expected her Captain did not approve of this plan. It hurt Ty immensely that her Captain couldn't understand, but she would deal with the consequences. After all she was always prepared to deal with the consequences. However the next part of Suki's speech was not nearly as expected as the first.

"However all that being said I am still you friend, and as your friend I understand the need to close that chapter of your life. Also as you friend I feel the need to warn you: Zuko has shared with Sokka and me the belief that anything that may have once been human in her is long gone… Ty, there is nothing for you but sadness in that hospital."

It was impossible to tell if it was spray or tears that now glistened on the acrobat's cheeks. Suki decided perhaps it was best not to know so she turned to leave. Before she could do more than turn around Ty Lee's small voice sounded: "I have to see her Suki. I know she's still there. I have to believe…I mean she just can't…"

Suki's heart went out to her friend as she heard the little acrobat's rasping sigh before she continued: "Look, I know I'm stupidly hopeful and well just plain stupid sometimes, but I know she's still there. She…Azula is the kind of person who doesn't just fade. She's stuck right now and if there's even a slim chance that I can…unstick her I'm gonna visit. Sorry Suki."

Suki's wanted to turn around and tell Ty how foolish she was, but Suki had a level head so she just shrugged and said: "I won't stop you, but don't let it get in the way of your duties."

And with that Suki unstuck her boots from where she had paused and continued back to her squad. Ty heard her walk away this time, but she didn't really care. The docks to the Capital had come in sight. Soon she'd be on her home-soil again, and there was someone waiting for her…Even if that someone didn't know it.

* * *

So methinks you like yes? No? Too bad fools!

Anyways I'm thinking the chappies are gonna start getting longer once Ty Lee finally meets up with my favoritest lil goth girl eva: Mia!

On to the second chappie for the day... Just gotta type it up... BYE FOOLS!


	4. Ch 4: The Princess, the Person

So I went back to change all of the patiences to patients like it should have been. I swear I must have been asleep when writing this.

Anyways there are two new chapters up (Ch12 &13), but I just needed to fix this today as well so go ahead & read those.

Hope you enjoy!

I do not own ATLA

* * *

"Lunchtime dearie." The cheerful nurse sing-songed to her charge.

As usual the patient was sitting cross-legged. Her flowing locks had been washed and brushed by the night-nurse. Her flawless makeup and short clipped nails had been smoothed by her personal morning-nurse. It was this cheerful nurse's, aka the midday nurse's, job to make sure the patient ate at least one meal and took her medicine.

"Come on, dearie. Don't you want to feed yourself?"

The nurse hated having to repeat this line everyday, but orders were orders. It seemed cruel in a way to question a person who had been catatonic for months. The only thing the patient did after all was relieve herself, thankfully, and move from bed to floor and floor to bed when physically directed to do so. If was saddening to the nurse to overhear the healers say over and over again how she was a lost cause.

The nurse sighed as she sat the tray of food and sedatives down. There was work to do. "Okay honey here we go then."

The sensitive nurse gently grasped her charge's chin and slowly opened her jaw. Secure in the thought that the mouth would remain open, she spooned a bit of warm soup from the bowl and poured into the patient's mouth. She then closed the jaw and lifted the chin so the charge would swallow. As the nurse watched the throat gulp down the soup, she couldn't help but wonder if the patient could even register the warm liquid slide from her tongue to her stomach. It was tasty enough soup. The healers had made sure that she couldn't choke on solid food, but the Fire Lord had made sure her food was no gruel.

"Whoops! Got a bit of soup there, didn't we?"

As the nurse wiped the bit of broth dribbling down her patient's chin she took a closer look at the girl sitting on the floor.

She was a beauty, no doubt. She was far to skinny from lack of eating, but even so her bone structure was strong enough alone to offset the lack of necessary fat. Her hair was glossy and her robes neat. She had a proud chin and sharp cheekbones. Yes, definitely a beauty, but a tragic beauty at that.

Such a waste. It was her eyes that said it all. The nurse had seen her at her prime. Even at the far distance she was in the adoring crowd she could see those eyes flash like lightning. The gold, the sign of Sozin's blood, was as bright as the sin overhead as she took in the adoration of her people. They all feared and worshipped her as the prodigy, the mastermind, the God. And that's what she was: Azula the Fire Nation Princess and God.

Looking into those eyes now brought the reality of the situation home to the nurse. They were flat disks of dull brass now. There was no flash, no understanding. They were dead. All that was left was the shallow façade. She was a glamor-stripped relic of the old world left to rot in a new world that only ridiculed her existence.

On the one hand the nurse thought it was only justice that she had ended up like this. She was a vicious manipulating warmonger. The nurse had heard plenty of her stories and exploits. If this hadn't have happened to her, then she might have been the Fire Lord that continued Sozin's Great War. That was not something the nurse liked to imagine. After all, she had, like most people, lost many dear ones for the foolish pride of that form of Sozin's bloodline.

The nurse picked up the finished bowl and tray with the empty sedative elixir cups and turned to leave. As she went to pull the door shut behind her the fire light from the wall sconces hit the patience's eyes just right and for the smallest moment there was that old flash. It was only an illusion, but still that ghost of a flicker was enough to set the nurse thinking. She was still there. No matter what the healers said as long as there was a heartbeat, there was Azula the Princess; Azula the Person.

Finally the nurse shut the door. As all light left the cell the supposed monster was left sitting in the dark in the grasp of her own monsters.

* * *

Well all the patiences should now be corrected to patient. Sorry about that.

-Whatevs15


	5. Ch 5: Monsters in the Dark

Bleh... I don't know why but this chappie just didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I got pretty sick of tweaking it and since I have yet another think piece to type up on the evil affects of pesticides (Thank you Liberal Arts Education!) I'm just gonna barf this one up here. My apologies before hand.

Also to the Reviewer known as Anon (first nice name) I apologize for the stupidity that is me at 2 am and no proofreading. For whatever reason I am forever switching those two words around in my head. Blame my ma for dropping me on my head. I will get right on fixing that!

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA... If I did I would not be running out of cutesy disclaimer lines to put up here...

* * *

It was dark. Why was it so dark? There was no reason for it. The dark just was, but surely it wasn't always this infernally dark. There had to have been…Oh what was it called?

For an instant that thing called light reached out and like a spark jolted a memory loose. A roaring crowd of willing subjects lay before her like a sea of flame ready to swallow the world. They were her flame, bending willingly to her every whim. She raises her hand and the fire erupts. Yes, she is a bender of fire and people alike. The power rises within her ready to strike at her enemies…

Thud

Thud

Thunk

The flames, the power, the light all come crashing down with her body. The memory turns along with her stomach. The power is gone as she is helped to what must be her feet, but she feels nothing. The numbing cold so horrifying to a firebender was coming for her. As the darkness ate away at the edges of her mind she knew what was coming next. She begged and pleaded with the memory to change or mercifully end, but the all-consuming darkness moved at the speed of one that knows no time. She summoned the rest of her strength and control, the last bit of control she would know, to raise her head. The darkness had taken away the details of everything else, but that face was as fresh as ever. The tiny chin barely visible as the head bowed. And those eyes…Gray pleading pools full of…something she couldn't name.

It was the traitor's face frozen forever in that moment. Or perhaps it was she that was frozen.

"Take them away where I never have to see their faces again!"

Ah yes. She remembered that order; the first one that her mind had disobeyed. She saw their faces everywhere. The gray sulky one that occasionally appeared to be real if only for a minute. And that other one. The one that truly haunted her. The one that refused to obey. The one she couldn't understand. That traitorously beautiful face that belonged to…

"What is this!" The low growling voice of her Lord rumbled in her skull.

"A child of mine afraid of a name? Ridiculous! Where is my real daughter? My daughter did not cower at the mere image of a traitor. Surely there is some mistake…No? So this pathetic excuse for a failure is the once mighty Princess Azula. Disgraceful."

The disgraced princess whimpered and pleaded in the trap of her mind to the ghost of her illustrious father. "Please, father let me explain!"

"Explain what? How you lost to your weakling of a brother, or better yet how you sit in a padded cell fearing the face of a traitor instead of devising a method of escape?"

The ghost father smirked as he probed deeper into the confused recesses of the prisoner's mind.

"Oh I see. Did you love her?"

Love her? Did she love her? What a strange question. Of course she didn't…Did she?

"Hahaha! You did and you are too cowardly to even admit it. Disgusting."

"Father please!"

"You are no daughter of mine, wretch. I was right to leave you behind. Perhaps I should have chosen your brother instead."

There were no words that she could find to defend herself. He was right. She was not worthy to be called the daughter of the almighty Fire Lord. For one, she had allowed herself to be so weak as to fall in love. The rest was obvious enough. She failed. She failed at everything. She was worthless.

"Enough of this. When I wish to be entertained by your failure I will return."

"Please father, don't go. Don't leave me here in the dark. I don't want to be alone anymore."

A soft voice, barely a whisper, broke through the anguished pleas. The prisoner that just seconds before begged not to be left alone suddenly wished she had never spoken as she recognized the soft voice as that of her mother's.

"You are never alone, Azula."

"So it would seem, Mother. Come here to gloat about your precious Zuzu's victory?"

"No, I never wished for either of my children to experience the things that have brought about what you have so aptly labeled Zuko's victory."

"Of course you didn't. You see, Mother, that was the difference between you and Father. You might have always had the "best" intentions, but at least Father knew what it took to get what he wanted. You never could understand the reality of consequences."

"Perhaps…"

Outraged the prisoner interrupted whatever stupidity was about to spout out of her mother's mouth. "Perhaps? There is no perhaps. When you saved dearest Zuzu did you even think of what would happen when you left? You might have saved him for awhile, but you left us with HIM! What did you expect to happen, hmmm? Oh Zuko was fine after his face was improved, but what about me? Not that you ever cared enough to try to protect me, but I had no chance after all that…Love me? No, there was only ever one person who really loved me and I've…. I've lost her."

Everything faded away after Azula's final admission. There was no point to a monster arguing with monsters when her salvation was so far away.

* * *

Ugh! I know the ending of the chappie was far too sudden, but I just couldn't figure out where else I wanted to take it. Bleh! Oh well. Onwards and Upwards as they say. Next chappie should be Ty Lee's meeting with my fav lil gray girl: Mai!

As always review if you feel like it... I will not beg foolish mortals! Muhuhaha!

TTFN FOOLS!


	6. Ch 6: Duty Bound

Okay Y'all so Im back from my extended absence. It is now summer and though life is still a jerk I hope to be updating more often. As a bonus for the extra long wait I have provided an extra long chappie. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA if I did this would be an AU and life would be schweet!

* * *

It was cold in this place, so damnably cold. Not that Ty Lee would ever say such a word out loud. Yet the fact could not be escaped, and Ty Lee, searching for anything to take her mind off of what was assuredly awaiting her at the end of the hall, could not help but wonder why. For a second she even swore she saw her breath, but that was silly. It was the summer in the Fire Nation after all. A couple steps away from the metal door at the end of the hall, other wise known as Ty Lee's destination, the curiosity became too much for the little acrobat to bear. She had to ask the only other person around: the imposing guard leading the way.

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me why it's so cold down this hallway?"

The guard began searching for the keys in the layers of his uniform as he began to answer. "Well you see my Lady this wing of the institution houses the potentially dangerous firebenders. A waste of time with this particular patient if you ask me, but as I'm sure you know she was once a fearsome prodigy."

"But don't the patients get cold?" Ty Lee asked with a worried expression flitting across her face. It simply would not do if the Princess were sick.

The guard's booming laugh bounced back off the door as he began to open it. "Forgive me my Lady, but it's just I doubt it bothers her much in the state she's in. But don't worry, the patients are given very warm outfits as long as they behave."

Ty Lee's worried expression was quickly replaced by a deep frown at the thought of freezing as a punishment. The idea was disturbing to the little acrobat, so disturbing that Ty actually mumbled under her breath: "Mai and I will have a chat about this later I think."

The guard who had just finished turning the key turned himself around at the sound of Ty Lee's soft voice. "Excuse me, my lady, did you say something?"

At a speed that would even make Azula's lightning look slow Ty transformed her deep frown into an award-winning smile. "Oh nothing. I was just worried about the guards catching a cold is all. But I guess if all the guards are as big and strong as you that would be silly, now wouldn't it?"

Fortunately for the guard his facemask hid his blush as he awkwardly tried to answer the very beautiful young lady. "Um yes? I mean no? Aaaahhh…" The big guard sucked in a large gulp of air, squared his shoulders, and decided the best way to impress the young lady was to fulfill his duty. "Anyways, Lady Ty Lee, I was instructed to give you the run down on the rules for visiting the prisoner. Rule number one if at anytime you wish to exit knock three times and holler for the guards." Before he continued the guard puffed out his already sizeable chest in a show of masculinity. "I will be right outside the door when you want out. Rule number two is simple: Do not under any circumstances antagonize the prisoner. She maybe sedated, but we all know how crazy and dangerous she was at the end."

Ty Lee fought the urge to frown once more at the way the guard called her Princess crazy. Ty realized she had been frowning an awful lot lately. She won the battle with her twitching check muscles and addressed the guard in her sweetest voice. "Yes, I had heard. I was told all this before, but I thank you for doing such a good job. Rest assured the Fire Lord will hear how well you have performed your duties."

With thoughts of medals and promotions swimming in the big guard's eyes, he stepped aside and spoke to the acrobat one last time. "Thank you my lady. The door is unlocked and you can open it anytime you wish. I will lock it behind you though."

With that final bit of information Ty Lee stepped around the guard and came face to face with the impressive metal façade of the door that led to…Her.

Ty reached out her hand to push the latch and the door open, but froze. Was this really what she wanted to do? Was this really even something she could do?

Suddenly the Fire Lady's face materialized out of the steel of the door and Ty Lee was sucked back in time to when she was first received by her one time close friend.

The Fire Nation ship filled with Earth Kingdom warriors pulled into the special Fire Royalty Dock that was used for special occasions only, and this was definitely a special occasion. It was the beginning of the celebration of the First Annual Great Peace Festival to be held simultaneously across all the Nations. The last boatload of ceremonial guests had arrived and the citizen's of the Fire Nation's Capital City of Agni were all amassed around the harbor waiting for the first glimpse of the famous Kyoshi Warriors and the Savior of their Fire Lady, Lady Ty Lee.

The captain yelled for the gangplank to be lowered and the crowd ushed in anticipation. The Royal Guards that surrounded the Royal Palanquins decked out in their full ceremonial armour which included the nearly designed facemask made to look like the Fire Nation Flame instead of a skull, the deep crimson uniform with gold lining, and black steel and leather breastplates, shin guards, and arm bracers stood a little taller. Even the Fire Lord and Lady leaned forward in their respective palanquins to get a better look.

Clank!

The steel gangplank banged to a halt onto the steel harbor startling everyone present and making the captain grimace at his clumsy crew. After the shaken nerves of the present parties had calmed down a striking figure of green, white, red, and gold turned to her like colored fellows at the cusp of the audience's sight and asked the question that was on everyone's mind: "Well girls, is it time to get this shindig started?"

The fearless captain of the Kyoshi Warriors watched as her chargers nodded one by one that they were ready. Oddly enough the last girl to nod was the first to voice her willingness to take on this special mission. Ty Lee hesitantly set her chin and shook her head. It was time.

"Okay then. Ty Lee I want you up here with me. We all go down two at a time and I want you by my side. Let's show them how the well Earth Kingdom subjects and Fire Nation citizens can get along shall we?" And with that Ty Lee shuffled up to Suki's side.

"Nervous?" A tiny grin appeared on the otherwise grim face of the Kyoshi Captain.

Ty shook her head in the affirmative and replied: "It's been awhile."

Suki looked down on her newest recruit and smiled the wide goofy smile that Sokka loved so much as she tried to reassure the little acrobat. "I bet, but you know it's going to be okay. I'll tell you a little secret."

Ty Lee looked at her leader with a confused expression written all over her face. Suki didn't keep secrets at least not that Ty knew of and Ty was pretty good at finding out secrets. "O-okay."

"I get stage fright, but I don't let it stop me. And do you know why, Ty?"

Ty couldn't believe her ears. Suki, her fearless leader was afraid of…crowds? Yet Ty had seen Suki speak eloquently to all sorts of crowds. How could this be? "No, I don't Captain."

Suki gave Ty Lee one last smile before she faced out towards the gangplank the crowds beyond. As Suki took that final step forward that would place her in the sight of the crowd, Suki's answer floated above the sudden roaring of the crowd and set Ty Lee into motion.

"Duty, Ty Lee. It's my duty."

Ty Lee smiled as she stepped down the gangplank catching up to Suki so she could land on the dock alongside her apparently fearful yet still brave leader. She had a duty to do, and by the Spirits she was going to finish it.

As the Kyoshi Warriors moved closer to the Fire Lord and Lady, the Royal Guards closed ranks around the palanquins in a show of their own brand of duty. Finally the Earth Kingdom warriors reached the barricade of soldiers and knelt down before the Fire Nation Royals as a sign of peace. For their part the Fire Royals waved their hands to their respective guards giving them the silent order to allow the bringers of peace to pass. When Suki and Ty Lee had reached the edge of the Royal Palanquins the Kyoshi Warriors dropped down on one knee for the last time, eyes on the ground.

Fire Lord Zuko stood up from his cushion and raised his hands urging his people into a listening silence. Once the crowds had quieted he addressed the knelling warriors below his feet. "Welcome representatives of the Earth Kingdom. Your arrival has been long awaited and I am glad the journey has gone well. It seems even the Spirits have blessed this celebration as I have heard the sea was kind to you…" Ty Lee looked up at Zuko when he paused confused. When she spotted Zuko unrolling a cheat-scroll out of his ceremonial deep robe sleeves Ty had to bite her tongue to keep back the chuckles. So Zuko hadn't become an eloquent speechmaker after all. This speech had Mai's hand written all over it.

Zuko attempted to cover up his slip with a cough before he continued, ears red. "Ahem, pardon me… Anyways the Fire Nation is very pleased that the steadfast hearts of the Kyoshi Warriors could be spared long enough from the Earth Kingdom to help celebrate the newfound peace between our glorious countries. I, Fire Lord Zuko, am especially pleased to see two heroes from the Great War have arrived today. Captain Suki your bravery helped to spare the Fire Nation from an egregious dishonor when you saved your home country from the final attack. We are indebted to you and your bravery and it was my pleasure to fight by your side. And Lady Ty Lee it is good to have you back on your home-soil. The Fire Nation welcomes back its child happily as you are the Savior of the Fire Lady. It is a pleasure to see you again, my friend. As for the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors may your hearts stay bold and I hope to meet each one of you on these joyous days to come. Now Captain Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors if there is anything you would like to add to this joyous gathering please rise and do so."

Suki lifted her eyes from the ground and gracefully rose from her kneeled position. Looking the Fire Lord in the eyes she began in a loud but kind voice. "Fire Lord Zuko, Fire Lady Mai, Fire Nation citizens, and various representatives from the other nations it is the wish of the Earth King that I speak for the Earth Kingdom during these festive times. I wish only to convey the Earth Peoples' happiness to join in the celebration of peace. As for myself I wish to say how happy I am to be in the company of great friends again. May Kyoshi's strength be with you." And with that Suki bowed from the waist down fists clasped together in a show of ultimate respect usually only reserved for Kyoshi Island Elders.

Zuko, who was genuinely touched by this personal display of honor, struck his palm with his fist and bowed from the waist in the traditional Fire Nation style while honoring Suki with the Fire Nation equivalent to what Suki had given him. "May Agni's light shine bright for all your days."

Once the two had straightened and smiled at each other, Zuko once again raised his voice. " Now that all the nations' representatives are here and accounted for let the Celebration of the Great Peace BEGIN!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and the celebration began with streamers of every color of the four nations being represented in a show of peaceful togetherness. Okay so there might have been a bit more red than any other color, but red just looked better.

Before the Kyoshi Warriors could be swept up in the festivities, however, there was a need for finding the place they would be at for the next year. Fire Lady Mai, ever the astute politician, gently reminded her husband of his duty to his special guests. Fire Lord Zuko quickly reddened and shouted out for a gong to be rung. As the gong sounded people stopped mid-throw of confetti or even mid-high five as some of the less trained soldiers near the Royal Guards had been caught. Zuko cleared his throat and stumbled around his explanation. "I am sorry for the the… interruption, but I forgot to mention that the Earth Kingdom ummm representatives will now being leaving with me and my… wife to get settled. We shall return tomorrow for the the the ceremonial beginning of the festival. Please carry on."

After the Fire Lord had finished the fun resumed and Zuko let out a sigh of breath. "Well done my Lord." Fire Lady Mai smirked.

"Hey it was an honest mistake, and if someone hadn't written such a long-winded speech I would've remembered"

The Fire Lady, no longer focused on her husband but on the Kyoshi Warriors and one in particular merely waved her hand and replied: "That's nice dear. Now I think if Captain Suki rides in your palanquin and Lady Ty Lee rides in mine with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors being flanked by our Royal Guards that will give the desired effect of looking like a peaceful procession. What do you think, My Lord?"

Zuko just scratched at the beginnings of the beard he was trying to grow and shook his head. "That works for me. Suki, you want to tell your warriors?"

Suki relayed the information to her warriors as Ty Lee continued to stare at the ground. It had been a year since she had last saw Mai. Ty had even missed her best friends wedding that had taken place three months prior because she was too afraid to come back to the Fire Nation. Of course she had given Mai some bad excuses, but they both knew why Ty Lee hadn't come. She was there. Now here Ty was **because** she was here, and she just knew that Mai knew. Mai had always been smart like that. Could Ty Lee face the woman that reminded her of times long gone? Could Ty Lee face the justified wrath of the woman she had hurt when she didn't attend her wedding? Well she had to didn't she? After all she had a duty.

After Suki had finished giving out the orders she noticed that Ty Lee was still kneeling on the ground stubbornly refusing to look up. Suki sighed and tapped her newest recruit on the shoulder. She wanted to get a move on and get settled in. Then she could seek out Sokka's chambers. It **had** been awhile.

When Ty Lee felt Suki's hand on her shoulder she knew she could stall no longer. Keeping her eyes firmly locked on the ground she straightened her powerful and compact body out of its kneeled position. Finally when she had reached the apex of her spines upright stretch she slowly raised her eyes to those of the Fire Lady's.

And there sitting on a large cushion was Mai. Not Fire Lady Mai, but her best friend Mai with a smirk that was as close to a smile as Ty Lee had ever seen grace the stoic Mai's face. All thoughts of uneasiness left Ty Lee as she bounded forward, back flipped over the Royal Guards' heads, and gracefully whirled around into a sitting bow before the guards much less the Fire Lady could figure out what was going on.

The Royal Guards tensed into fighting positions as Suki face-palmed just like Sokka, which brought up the voice in the back of her head that told her that perhaps she was taking on too many of her boyfriends antics. Suki quickly brushed that very disturbing voice to the side to converse with at a later time. Right now she had to make sure her most hair-brained recruit didn't start another war.

"Wow wow wow! Let's put the fire away for a few minutes okay. Fire Lady Mai a little help? Please!" Suki's voice was strained as she watch an anxious guard begin to flame up.

What happened next would be forever scarred into the brains of all those nearby. No it was not the smell of burning flesh or the sight of someone on fire. No, what shocked the guards enough to completely drop out of their offensive stances was infinitely rarer to the Fire Nation. It was the sound of the Fire Lady…laughing? The Low chuckles could only be coming from the Fire Lady's slightly open lips, but still everyone except for Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Ty Lee were completely taken aback.

Still lightly chuckling, Fire Lady Mai waved her hand and ordered the guards to stand down before looking down at the cause of all the mischief. Yes the young lady in front of her had changed, but she was still the same old Ty Lee. "Rise Lady Ty Lee. Let me get a good look at you."

Ty Lee rose gracefully, but instead of allowing Mai a good look at her she dove at the Fire Lady and hugged her close. In an unusual show of public affection Mai gripped her back. How she had missed her overly rambunctious friend. She had feared that when that monster had been locked away this Ty Lee would go with her. For once Mai was happy she was wrong.

Mai indulged the moment a little longer before deciding enough was enough. All moments must end. "Ahem Ty Lee, you can let me go now. We need to get you and your friends set up in the palace."

Ty Lee let go quickly astonished that the hug had lasted that long. Maybe Mai really wasn't upset and had really missed her. Maybe everything would work out after all.

"Shall we go, My Lord?"

Zuko smiled at his wife and reply: "Let's." And they were on their way.

Ty Lee sat beside Mai and struck up a conversation to pass the long ride up to the palace. "So how does it feel to get Prince Charming after all these years?"

Mai blushed and continued to look straight ahead, but she did answer her friend. "It has been nice to be able to call him mine for once and for all. Nothing in our way now except ruling a country."

"Oh Mai, you always have been funny in your own special way." Now Ty Lee grew slightly hesitant as she asked a question she feared the answer to: "So where in the palace will I be staying?"

Mai turned her head to roll her eyes at her silly friend. "In the rooms you use to use of course. The rest of the Kyoshi warriors will have their own rooms as well and Suki's will be just as nice, so don't worry about preferential treatment. All the representatives have a room at the palace.

Ty Lee tried her best to smile, but the thought of being in the old room where she use to stay when visiting the palace as a guest of the Fire Princess did not sit well with her. "I never realized there were enough rooms for that many guests."

The Fire Lady snorted. "Trust me there are, and I had to supervise the reading of each one. Of all the ridiculous duties of being a Fire Lady I must say that was the worst."

"Yah I'm sure, but I bet they look really good because of it."

"Perhaps. Why did you ask where you were staying? Surely you already knew." Mai's eyes focused in on Ty Lee ready to gauge her reactions. Ty Lee knew there was no use lying.

With a sigh Ty Lee told the truth. "I don't know how I feel about being back in the same room as before everything…happened."

Mai leaned back into the cushion digesting the information she had just received. She knew that Ty Lee still harbored mixed feelings about Azula's… situation. However, the Fire Lady was afraid that she had underestimated those feelings. Mai did not like to underestimate. She needed more information. It was time to probe.

"So Ty Lee," Ty know that sly, soft voice and she knew she was in trouble now. "Why didn't you attend my wedding again? You really did miss a good party. I personally did not care for all the hand kissing, but even I must admit it was…enjoyable."

Ty Lee winced. This was the exact opposite of how she had wanted their first conversation to go. "You remember I was caught up in Kyoshi business. I am very sorry I missed it. You know I am."

Mai's eyes narrowed even further. So Ty Lee was still a horrible liar. That helped. Now to press her luck: "Ty Lee it hurts me that you would lie to me like this. We both know that that isn't true. I was willing to let it slide at the time, but now I want to hear the real reason from your lips." The sight of the down trodden Ty Lee was almost enough to make Mai wish she hadn't started this…almost. Instead of backing down though she offered her friend some relief. "Come now Ty, we both know the real reason you didn't come, and that's why I'm not angry. I just want to hear it from you is all."

Ty Lee looked up from the gold and red dragon pattern of her cushion to face her friend and Fire Lady. "I couldn't come because she is still here."

Mai let the admission hang in the air for a bit before asking the next obvious question with the least obvious answer. "So why come back now, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee went back to examining the dragons that swirled around the cushion in an endless game of deadly tag. "I was shirking my duty before. I've come back to honor that duty now."

Mai was taken aback by this answer. She had expected…well she didn't know what she had expected, but it certainly was not this. Ty Lee was the immature attention seeking one of the group. Since when had she decided that anything was her duty? While pondering Ty Lee's answer Mai really got the good look she had asked for before. Sitting next to her was the figure of Ty Lee, though slightly grown and even more womanly from their year apart, but there was something more than a physical change. Yes, her friend who saved her from her other friend would always be there. There was still some of that defiant naivety left in her round gray eyes, but most of the innocence was gone. Come to think of it ever since Ty Lee had saved her those eyes had look almost…haunted. Did she regret saving Mai? No, Mai decided after a deeper look, but she does regret something.

In a tone that brooked no argument Mai finally found the words she thought she needed to say. "She is not your responsibility Ty. If she is anyone's duty that duty follows to Zuko and therefore me. You owe her nothing, and frankly even if you did you couldn't give it to her. Azula is gone, Ty. She's gone and she's not coming back. All that's left is a shell."

Mai had expected tears, but she got was so much worse in her opinion.

Ty Lee looked up with dry haunted eyes and argued. "She's not your responsibility because whatever love you might have had for her is the only thing that is gone and isn't coming back. If you can sit there and tell me that you honestly believe that Azula, our **friend**, is dead, then it's you who has given up not Azula. I will go to her and I will help her because I have to. My duty to her isn't the duty of a servant to a master or a noble to a royal. My duty to her is a friend to a friend. Maybe you have forgotten what that duty is, but I haven't and I won't. Not anymore."

Ty Lee held Mai's gaze. Golden eyes so much like those that belonged to the source of all the strife shifted through the layers of the storming gray clouds inside Ty's orbs. What Mai found there was both dreaded and already known. The Fire Lady sighed and broke the eye contact first.

With a tired tone the Fire Nation Royal gave the only advise she could to her friend.

The face melted away to reveal a solid steel door. It was the present, and as Suki liked to say there was no time like the present to get things done.

Ty Lee squared her shoulders and released the past to go back to the past before grabbing ahold of both the latch and, though she did not know it, her destiny. With a quick thrust and push the door swung open to reveal a darkened cell. Ty Lee grabbed the torch in the wall sconce and stepped forward.

The only thing left of her past lay both before in the form of a huddled shadow and behind her in Mai's whispered warning.

"It's hard to love them, but if you are so determined I have but one warning: Duty and honor is what drove Zuko into a worldly exile and Azula into a spiritual one. Be careful you don't follow them too far."

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Okay so really cheesy ending, but my mind just froze up so yah. Anyways hope you all enjoyed and please R&R. I know I don't deserve it, but I will beg if necessary.

Peace Out FOOLS!


	7. Ch 7: Needs

Heyo y'all! It's me again. I just got back from vacation so here is the very grammatical incorrect Seventh Chappie that I wrote on the 12hr drive. I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA... If I did we would still only be half way thru the 1st season bc of my procrastination problem.

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The torch lit up the sitting shadow of the former princess, but the light did nothing to burn away the darkness of the hunched figure.

Ty Lee couldn't see beyond the swirling patterns of light and dark. Even the figure's aura was a swirling black mass. Kind of like the black slate boards of the Fire Nation Academy with nothing on them. The aura was a blank slate.

"Now whose silly idea was it to not light these wall torches?" Ty Lee nervously clucked in mock disapproval as she lit up the remaining wall sconces and slipped the one in her hand back into the hall quickly.

As she was just the torch back into the sconce, the guard looked up in alarm. "Lady Ty Lee! Is that door open?"

Ty Lee looked at the supposedly imposing guard quaking in his proverbial standard issue Fire Nation boots. She was after all still standing in the doorway and by his own admission he didn't deem the Princess a credible threat anymore.

Ty Lee internally sighed. It was moments like these when she wished she were more like Mai. One look from her and the guard would know to shut his mouth. But Ty Lee's favorite sister had always said to kill'em with kindness…Or was that her second favorite? They did tend to blur together.

"Oh I'm so sorry! I'll be sure to close the door now that the torch is back in place. Silly me! Luckily silly girls have big strong men like you to watch out for us." For extra measure Ty coyly fluttered her eyelashes, while she internally dry heaved. Why were the strong men always the easiest to please? Pathetic, but definitely fun.

Yet again the man puffed out his already sizeable chest and replied, "It's our honor, my lady. Now if you would just shut the door all will be fine. As I said I will be nearby."

Ty Lee merely smiled extra wide and shut the door. When the door clanked to a close Ty Lee laughed to herself and lightly said, "Of course you will be."

Ty Lee was still facing the door sadly shaking her head at the guard when she realized that she was finally in the now bright cell with the Princess. Ty Lee gulped and thought about how she was perhaps stupider than the guard after all. He hadn't just locked himself in a tiny room full of fire with a potentially very angry fire bending prodigy.

The overwhelming urge to pound on the door and let the suddenly vastly more intelligent guard save her from her foolishness overtook Ty Lee for a second.

What had she been thinking? Did she honestly think this would end well? Everyone had told her to give up, and, as demonstrated time after time, everyone was smarter than her. She never thought ahead. That had been Azula's job. Now her thoughtless actions were going to be the end of her. Why was she so stupid?

"You're not stupid." A voice from Ty Lee's past pulled her out of the locked cell before she could shout for the guard to do it instead.

"What do you mean, 'Zula?" Ty Lee's young voice drifted over the lush gardens of the Fire Nation Palace, the playground of her youth.

A seven year old Ty Lee and Azula lay under the large shade tree that Ty Lee loved to climb. Mai and Zuko, both nine and ten respectively, had been called off to private dancing lessons as they were both now old enough to be forced to dance at the upcoming summer solstice festival.

Ty Lee had sighed as her friends had been summoned. She couldn't wait until she was nine. Azula had merely stuck her tongue out at her obviously skittish brother. She could wait.

While the absence of her quiet friend and the grumpy royal boy did sadden Ty Lee a little, she was very happy to have Azula all to herself. Azula was always more relaxed when it was only Ty Lee around, which meant that Ty could get her to play the silly games that she loved a lot easier.

They had just finished a fun game of flee-and-capture. Ty had been the escaping Earth Kingdom prisoner and Azula was, as usual, the Fire Nation prison guard. Ty had put up a good chase, but Azula had finally caught her and brought her back to the base. The game had worn the young girls out so they had decided to rest in the shade.

Azula's aura was a calm blue bursting with happy warm golden slivers. The young Ty was happy that she got to see her friend so relaxed. Ty often wondered why her friend's aura was usually grumpier and sadder than most adults. But that was a stupid question according to her mother.

The little Ty Le was lost in memories of all the times her family and even most of her friends had called her stupid when she accidentally burst out the simple statement she had heard over and over again: "I am stupid."

When Azula had refused the well-rehearsed fact, Ty became confused. Everyone said she was stupid. Even Mai had said it that one time when she had accidentally told the Fire Lady that her gray friend was really good at throwing sharp objects. Yet here her smartest friend was arguing with the world. Ty had to know what she meant, so of course she asked. Stupid question or not, Ty couldn't help herself.

Azula simply rolled her eyes at her strange friend before answering, "Ty, I do not associate with idiots. Therefore you are not an idiot, ok?"

Ty Lee's eyes were still confused even as she nodded her head at her friend. Azula sighed. It appeared to the young royal that she was going to have to actually explain herself to her pink friend. She really should've expected that.

Azula grabbed Ty by her shoulders and made her look straight into her golden eyes. When Azula knew that she had the full attention of the stormy gray orbs she began.

"Listen to me Ty Lee. You might be hair-headed and even a little dumb in certain areas, but you are not stupid. You understand things that no one else can. Are you understanding me?" Azula waited until Ty Lee had nodded her head ever so slightly before she continued, "Good. Father says I need smart people by my side. Mai is astute in politics already, but she lacks what I need most, what you have. You understand people better than anyone I know, Ty. I need you. And I do not need stupid people. Understand?"

Ty Lee stood in complete disbelief. Azula, the fire prodigy at age five, who, in all the four years that Ty Lee could remember knowing her, had been so very independent. Ty loved to remember the look on the royal nurse's face when a bloody kneed four year old Azula had taken the bandaging supplies and dismissed her with an imperial wave of her hand.

Azula didn't need anyone…Right?

The still stunned Ty latched onto that priceless word and asked in a tiny voice, "You need me, 'Zula?"

An obviously embarrassed Azula reddened, while slowly shaking her head. She internally sighed as she realized that maybe Ty was too smart for her own good. Only the pink-loving little girl would've picked up on that.

"Ahem…Well it's what I said. Now let's go play some more flee-and-capture."

"Catch me if you can, 'Zula!" Ty Lee leapt up and sped off faster than Azula knew she could.

Azula smirked as the back of her athletic friend started to fade into the distance of the garden. Yes, there was a lot of potential for that girl…Besides she was a lot of fun.

The smirk quickly faded as Azula realized that she had forgotten to tell her friend something of dire importance. In a panic she blazed after her friend yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Ty Lee! You better tell anybody about that conversation!"

The sound of childish laughter faded into silence as the cold steel of the cell replaced the warm scenery of the gardens in the past. Ty Lee noticed her hand was raised to strike the door, but the panic had faded with the memory.

Ty Lee had never told anyone about that conversation at Azula's insistence, but she would never forget it. It was that day that she came to realize two very important things.

First, no matter what anyone said Ty knew she wasn't stupid. She just had a different way of thinking and a specialized type of knowledge that most people couldn't appreciate. But Azula had appreciated it.

Second, and most importantly, Azula need her. Even at the height of her power the Princess had sought out Ty Lee. The part of Ty that thought suspiciously like the Princess and sounded a lot like Mai argued that it was because Ty was the best at extremely close quarters combat, but the center of Ty Lee's knowledge, her heart, told her that it was deeper than that. Sure, Azula had wanted her martial arts and acrobatic prowess, but what she needed was Ty the friend not Ty Lee the tool.

She wasn't stupid. This wasn't a bad idea. Azula needed her.

Ty Lee lowered her hand and finally turned around.

And there she was…Azula. Not the Princess. Not the fire bending master. Not 'Zula her friend. It was just Azula the body.

Ty Lee gulped down the scream that threatened to tear out of her throat.

It was Azula's hair, luscious and dark as midnight. They had even put it up into a toknot without the crown. It was her face albeit more angular both from the natural loss of a year's worth of baby fat and from the lack of sufficient eating. It was still her hands, elegant if less deadly without the sharpened nails. It was still Azula.

Ty Lee wished she looked different. She should've looked completely different. Her body should match her soulless eyes, flat and dull. But she was as beautiful as ever, if not more so.

For a second Ty Lee imagined that the blackness of Azula's body's non-aura was filling the cell. It washed over the walls and fought with the torches. It invaded her own quickly darkening aura. Soon everything was dark.

There was no hope. They were right. She…Azula was gone.

Ty Lee fell to her knees weeping uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry…So so sorry. I-I…Oh Azula! What have I done?"

Jumping up and whirling around in a surprisingly graceful rising pirouette, Ty Lee blindly ran to the steel door and pounded for the guard.

The big guard was startled out of a fabulous daydream full of medals and gorgeous noblewomen by the panicked pounding on the door. The guard now fearful of actually having to earn a medal ran to the door praying to the spirits that the Princess had lost her edge over the year.

The guard quickly unlocked and threw the door open as he sunk into a battle stance. What he found charging him was a hysterical noblewoman. He sidestepped just in time to avoid a devastating blow to his ego as the acrobat was very much willing to shove the top-heavy guard to the ground in her haste to escape everything.

She needed to get out. She needed to forget. She needed to run.

With all of Ty Lee's sudden needs she forgot about Azula's as she ran as fast as her highly trained legs could.

The guard stared at the retreating and very firm backside of the noblewoman. He finally gathered his wits, and with a feral war cry that shook the steel door leapt into the cell ready to subdue the fearsome…sitting, vacant Princess.

The guard shook his head and cautiously approached the prisoner. At a foot away and with no movement from the prisoner the guard leaned over the Princess and waved his hand in front of her face. For a second he could've sworn her eyes shifted towards him, but after jumping back into a defensive position he just shrugged it off.

After determining that the noblewoman was just a silly girl who couldn't stand ten minutes in the same cell as the once fearsome fire bender the guard left.

As the lock jammed home no one could hear the prisoner quietly whisper one name:

"Ty Lee."

* * *

Muhuhaha! Got you! You will have to wait for a confrontation b/w Ty and our crazed Princess I'm afraid.

I know this isn't how Ty is normally written, but I think there is much more to her than air-head. Do you think Azula would suffer her nonsense if there wasn't more behind it? Well I think not.

As for the freak out, mental illness is never pretty and it puts a lot of stress on not just the patient but also their loved ones. Therefore I thought it was more realistic for it to be too much at first.

Please feel free to discuss it with me via PM or Review... Reviews are very much appreciated as usual so just do it... I will not beg... PLEASE!

Haha! Ok that's enough for now. Peace Out Fools!


	8. Ch 8: Fixing Memories

So after a very good point brought up by a reviewer I decided to give a new chapter instead of revamping the old. I hope you enjoy.

I do not own ATLA... Or else I would be rich

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Ty Lee lay in the gorgeous canopied bed of her Fire Palace room and hated it. She hated the canopy. She hated the mahogany vanity. She hated the rich black marble floors. She hated the red ceiling. She hated the gentle lulling of the fire-crickets that wafted in from the royal gardens below. She hated the lingering smell of burning cinnamon bark. And she especially hated the pink painted walls. But what she hated most of all were the memories.

After seeing the Princess for the first time in a year, Ty Lee had freaked out. A nasty voice in the back of her head that sounded like a very irritated Zuko thought it was fitting that the circus freak had well…freaked. The rest of her did not find the scenario nearly as funny. And now she couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened.

"What did happen anyways?" Ty Lee huffed at the bloody ceiling.

She couldn't figure it out. Why had all of this happened? It shouldn't have happened. Not to Azula. She was strong. Ty Lee was the weak one.

Where had it gone wrong?

Ty Lee had been wracking her memories ever since she had arrived back to the palace a blubbering mess. It was lucky that Azula had shown her all those secret tunnels that not even Mai or Zuko knew about. It was one of their secret adventures, and just another memory that plagued Ty that night.

She had collapsed under the weight of those memories as soon as she had successfully navigated her way through the secret passages that allowed her to cry without interference from any of her celebrating friends. It was after all the first night of the official celebrations and she did not want to bring her friends down nor did she really want company. All she wanted, all she did was to curl up into a sobbing ball in her once beloved canopy bed, and hate everything.

She had to hate. She could not admit to herself that she needed to remember. Hating the things that brought on the painful memories was so much easier than thinking about them. Feelings were always more important to Ty Lee anyways. She had to block out the pain. She had to forget. She had to move one. She had to hate…

But hating was never something that Ty Lee could really do. It went against everything she was.

She tried anyways. Scrunching up her eyes to glare at the room, she wished she could incinerate the offending objects with her expression. Her eyes shifted from spot to spot burning away the memories attached to each location until her eyes landed on the pink walls.

That memory was too strong for her. Cooling tears soothed the pitiful attempt at fire in her eyes as she traveled back to another time.

* * *

"Oh 'Zula! Isn't it perfect?" A thirteen-year-old Ty Lee exclaimed.

A rather unimpressed thirteen-year-old Princess rolled her eyes before asking the most obvious question, "Ty Lee where did you even find such a ridiculous shade of pink?"

Ty Lee laughed at her grumpy friend. She always was a stick in the mud anymore, but Ty Lee just knew that painting her Fire Palace room would get Azula to bust out of her grouchy bubble she appeared to have moved into.

"Oh come on 'Zula, you promised you'd help me paint the room whatever color I wanted."

"Yes I did, but I don't even think that's a real color." Azula glared at the offending shade of garish pink in the paint bucket before turning her eyes back to Ty Lee. She really should have known better.

Ty Lee pulled out her infamous pout before simply whining, "You promised, 'Zula"

Oh how Azula hated that pout. She really could not understand how it managed to work. Perhaps one day she could figure out a way to weaponize it. Then the Earth Kingdom would bow before her.

"Ok ok a deal _is_ a deal I suppose. Just remember you are not to annoy me for the remainder of the week about how I do not spend enough time with you."

Ty Lee smiled extra wide to hide how much that statement had hurt her. It was a very painful deal to make, but one did not get anything from Azula without giving something in return…at least not anymore.

She had not meant to annoy her Princess, but she had been so busy lately. The Fire Lord had been getting more and more pushy in Ty's opinion, but Azula enjoyed it. All she wanted was for Azula to laugh with her like they use to. She was gambling that this little painting session would remind her friend of all the fun they had had together over the years, and she would come back to her.

"Okie dokie smokey, let's get painting 'Zula!"

Ty Lee pulled two rather large paintbrushes out from behind her back and threw one at Azula. Azula deftly caught her brush and sighed as Ty began to dip her brush into the…paint, if it could be called that.

"Alright let's get this over with. I have important documents to get back to."

Ty Lee swallowed the lump in her throat. This would work. It had to work.

The girls worked diligently for a couple hours smearing the brightest pink that Azula had ever had the misfortune of seeing on the once blood red walls. Personally Azula had enjoyed the red. Red was the color of power and victory. She never did understand Ty Lee's slight dislike for the color.

Azula pondered on it for a while and finally decided to ask. After all they had barely said anything and Azula was extremely bored. Why not learn something?

"So Ty Lee, not that I don't appreciate your…interesting choice of color scheme, but what exactly was wrong with the wall color before?"

Ty Lee was delighted that Azula had volunteered to start a conversation herself. Ty had been failing at it for well over two hours. Maybe her plan would start to work now.

"Well there wasn't anything wrong with it. I just felt like changing it and well you know how much I love pink…"

Azula smirked at that. "Oh really? I had not noticed." Rolling her eyes, Azula continued, "But really now Ty, why do you love pink so much more than red?"

Ty Lee sucked on her teeth as she executed another graceful stroke of the brush. She had never really had a very long awkward phase of growing into her body. Grace was her nature, but multitasking was not.

"Um… What'cha say 'Zula?"

Azula rolled her eyes again. She so hated repeating herself, but this was Ty after all.

"Why do you like pink more than red? I mean red is one of the colors of the Fire Nation."

Ty Lee stopped painting so she could think clearly. After all the real reason for this painting session was to get Azula talking. She had to pay attention and give Azula an answer that wouldn't bore the easily disinterested girl. However, truthfully she had not really questioned her color choices. Pink was the color of her aura when she was happy, but she guessed it was more than that.

"I guess that's kinda why I don't like it."

"What?" Azula's brows scrunched together into a confused scowl as she expanded on her primarily shocked question, "You do not like the Fire Nation? That is rather unpatriotic of you, Ty Lee." Azula did not like the sound of Ty's answer, and she knew her father would like it even less if he found out.

Ty Lee giggled a little at the dumbfounded expression on her friend's face. It was not a look she got to see often.

"No no, silly! I love the Fire Nation. It's just that red is everywhere, you know? I like things that are unique. Like pinks and blues…"

Azula internally sighed in relief and relaxed her face back to its normal smug neutral expression before she realized that Ty Lee had said a second color. She had not known that Ty Lee liked blues. She never wore any after all. It was a mystery and Azula only liked mysteries if she was behind them.

"Blues? Why blues?"

Luckily Ty Lee had turned back to the wall or else Azula would have seen how well her blush matched the still red ceiling. Ty Lee cleared her suddenly blocked throat and answered her Princess in her fakest indifferent voice, "Um well yah… Well you see it's the color of your fire, and well I've never seen anything else like it. So um yah it's unique and everything. So yah that's why I like blues."

If Ty had not been attempting to stare a hole into her freshly painted wall she would have seen something almost unbelievable. Azula was blushing.

"Ahem… Well I suppose that makes sense."

They both then lapsed into a strained silence as they continued to work. Every so often one would stare at the other only to look away quickly when their eyes met. Azula scolded herself each time it happened. Mai might have been the stealth specialist of their group, but Azula was no slouch. She knew better than to look away so quickly as it would draw attention to the fact that she had not just been innocently glancing, but instead staring at the back of her friend's head as if she expected the answers to her new questions to leap out of Ty's braid.

Finally they had finished the walls, and Azula was more than happy to beat a strategic retreat. However Ty Lee was not about to let her plan be ruined by a stumbling block. She was a tumbler after all.

"Well that was fun. Now if you don't mind, Ty Lee, I must get to that paperwork."

Ty Lee thought faster than she ever had before. Something told her that if she let Azula walk out the door right now she would never again get to see her friend like she had before all the Fire Lord's work had driven them apart. She couldn't let that happen.

As Azula grabbed ahold of the doorknob Ty Lee screamed at the top of her lungs, "Azula wait!"

The Fire Princess nearly twitched, but her superb muscular control did not let her. She needed to get back to work, not get her ears blasted out by her suddenly very confusing friend.

"What Ty Lee?" A very cross Azula came very close to raising her voice, but she had not done so in a long while...not ever since her mother had left.

Ty Lee wringed her hands together and looked up to pray to Agni for an idea. She guessed Agni was listening as an idea hit her upturned eyes. She grinned so wide that Azula feared that she had finally come unhinged.

"The ceiling!"

Azula looked at her friend with concern as she realized that there was no need to fear. Her friend was completely crazy.

"Yes, Ty Lee. That is the ceiling. Now if you don't mind…"

Azula nearly rushed to her friend as the sound of Ty's laughter filled the room. She had cracked more fully than a lychee nut under the pressure of her finely manicured nails.

Ty grabbed her sides when she saw the horror-struck expression on Azula's face. Her friend had not been this expressive in ages, and it was all too much. Finally Ty Lee settled down and explained herself.

"I know, silly. That's not what I meant. I was saying that we still need to paint the ceiling."

Azula looked around the room for a ladder or some other device that would get them to the ceiling. She, of course, found none.

Azula gripped the bridge of her nose and forced her annoyance down a little before deciding that she needed to put Ty Lee back into her place. She had obviously been too over-indulgent of late if Ty honestly thought that Azula was going to paint a ceiling; let alone do it without a ladder.

"Ty Lee, I have work to finish. By Agni woman I am not about to paint your ceiling. Even if you had a ladder I would not do it. Painting the walls was a job for servants as it was. I am a princess damn it, Ty Lee! I do not do remedial labor. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Now it is time for you to do the same."

And with that Azula whipped around and wrenched the door open. As she lifted one booted foot to cross the threshold she heard a very disturbing sound, a sound that ripped at a hollow spot in her chest.

It could not be.

Azula turned back around to face her worst fear. There, with her head down and a watery substance dripping down her face, was a sobbing Ty Lee.

Ty Lee had tried to hold back the floodgates, but it was all too much. She had failed. She had failed so utterly and completely. It was hopeless and she now knew it. Her friend was not her friend anymore. That sweet misunderstood girl in the garden that told her that she needed her didn't need her anymore. Ty Lee the acrobat had lost her center of gravity. What was she suppose to do now?

Azula sighed, shut the door, and readjusted her bangs. She had no clue what she was supposed to do. All she knew was that she had to make that sound stop. She had to shrink the rapidly growing puddle of tears on the black marble back to nothing, and quickly.

She took a few hesitant steps toward the sobbing figure of her best friend, and did something that surprised them both: she gently grasped Ty Lee's chin. Ever so slowly she lifted her friend's face until gold gazed into gray. Careful of her talons, Azula lightly brushed away the tear trails on Ty Lee's face with her free hand. She couldn't stand the sight of those tears, not on her face.

"Hey there Ty." Azula smirked at her friend softly and was reward with a small hiccupping laugh from Ty.

"I'm sorry. I'm just under a bit of stress, you know? Father expects so much and I cannot fail him. I should not have snapped at you. Now how exactly do you want us to go about painting this ceiling?"

Ty Lee sniffed one last time, and then her smile came out like the sun after a storm. Azula had apologized. Azula never apologized. Maybe everything was going to workout after all.

"Well I thought maybe you could balance on the chair while a balanced on your shoulders. I figured it could be like a bit of training as well. I know how much you love to train."

Azula shook her head at her foolish friend. It was a bad plan, a very bad plan. However Azula didn't want to hurt her friend anymore, so she did the only thing she could.

"Which chair?"

Ty Lee fiercely hugged her friend and quickly leapt back to grab a chair, leaving a blushing Azula in her wake.

"Here! This one will work perfectly."

Azula stared at the wing-backed armchair and seriously doubted that it was perfect for anything besides being next to the tiny fireplace, but she had already committed to the plan. She might as well go all the way.

Azula leapt onto the back of the chair balancing perfectly on its high curved ledge. Ty Lee, not wanting to unbalance her Princess, carefully climbed up the chair and then her friend. They both embarrassedly looked away from each other as Ty accidentally rubbed up against Azula as she was climbing her friend with bucket and brush in hand. Once Ty Lee had made it to Azula's shoulders she reached down into the paint bucket and pulled out her brush.

As Ty reached up to begin her first stroke the chair gave a mournful creak as if to apologize for what came next.

The chair was too old to hold up the two youngsters and the back legs gave out with a crack. Azula might have been able to save her pride by flipping of the back of the chair if Ty Lee had not been on her shoulders, but as it was Azula began to fall with the chair. Ty Lee who had just touched the brush to the ceiling left a streak of pink as her arm flailed in a futile attempt to regain some form of balance. Her acrobatic instincts kicked in literally as she pushed off of her failing platform that just so happened to be a Fire Nation Princess in this case, which propelled Azula faster towards the unforgiving marble floor. To add insult to injury Ty Lee's next automatic reaction was to let go of the paint bucket and brush so she could land into her body's planned handspring. The paint spilled all over Azula as she dazedly gazed at what she had thought was the most repulsively colored cloud she had ever seen.

Ty Lee landed on her hunches a good five feet away from the scene of destruction. She quickly turned to take in the aftermath. The wing-backed chair had been totaled, which was sad, as it was now a very nice shade of pink. Ty Lee then noticed that the pink paint was everywhere including on a weird shaped log on the floor. When the log groaned Ty Lee felt a rush of panic flood her system. She had just possibly killed her friend…and that same most likely dead friend was not going to be happy about the shade change.

Ty Lee ran to her now pink friend and grabbed what she assumed was Azula's pink head.

"Azula! Are you ok? Speak to me!" It was one of the few times that Ty had ever given an order in her life and she had never wanted it to be obeyed like she had now.

The pink Azula formerly known as the pink log simply groaned before sitting up.

"Damn it Ty Lee. That is the last time I ever let you talk me into a bad idea."

Ty Lee had to stifle her giggles as her friend turned to look at her.

"Tehehe… Ahem I mean are you ok 'Zula? Ha!"

Azula glared at her strange friend before answering, "Please Ty, I've had worse than that. Now what is so funny?"

Ty Lee could no longer hold her laughter back and she collapsed into a giggling pile of goo. Azula stared at her friend as the world started to come back into focus. As it did Azula began to notice a very unpleasant feeling as if she was coated in something wet and sticky. Fearing for a second that her forehead was bleeding and that's why Ty had dissolved into hysterics, Azula haphazardly stood up and zig-zagged her way to the mirror. What she saw there was worse than any bloody wound.

"Damn all the spirits and Agni! I'm pink!"

Ty Lee who had slowly been regaining control of herself broke down once again. Azula narrowed her eyes at the laughing acrobat.

"Do you find this situation funny, Ty?" Azula's sickly sweet tone dripped into Ty Lee's ears like acid. She knew she was in big trouble.

Finally regaining control of herself at the sound of Azula's threatening tone, Ty Lee sat up and gulped. This would not end well.

"Ummm…A little?"

"Oh really?"

"Yes?"

"Well let's see how well you like it."

And with that Azula launched her paint-drenched body at Ty Lee who barely had time to stand. When Azula's tackle made contact they were both flung into Ty Lee's gratefully sheet-covered bed. Azula pinned Ty Lee's arms down to the bed and growled above her.

"And how do you like it, Ty?"

Before Ty Lee's brain could even process what had just happened or where she was her mouth answered for her, "Very much."

Those two words sobered Azula and allowed some of her reasoning skills to return to her. She suddenly noticed the predicament her temper had led her to. Maybe Mai was right…Her temper would be her downfall.

Azula attempted to get off her friend as fast as she could only to realize once her face had managed to land on Ty Lee's quickly maturing chest that her legs were quite tangled up in Ty Lee's. This was not good…Was it?

Ty Lee looked down at the top of Azula's head. The sight was definitely not unappealing. However, she did not want Azula to kill her so she figured she should help her friend up. As she tried to shift Azula off of her so that they could free their wayward limbs, Ty overcompensated her balance and ended up rolling on top of a very stunned Princess.

Not knowing what to say to diffuse the very confusing situation, Ty Lee said the first thing that came to mind, "Ummm… Hello there Azula?"

Azula very slowly came out of shock. Those gray eyes so close mixed with the warming pressure of Ty's body on top of her own had sapped the last of her intelligence. It was all too much. It was like she was seeing her Ty for the first time in a long time, and it unsettled her to the core.

"Hello Ty Lee."

The soft voice that answered Ty's strange greeting was so different from what she was use to hearing leave Azula's mouth that Ty took a moment to really study the Princess. It was after all both the best and most inappropriate time to do so.

The Princess' usually indifferent and closed off face was different. Her defenses were down for once in a very long time. Ty Lee could finally decipher the golden orbs that so distracted her waking thoughts. There, hidden in the molten depths, was both fear and need. They were locked in a struggle for dominance and the fear was obviously winning.

Ty Lee was losing. She had to do something and she had to do it now.

Desperation overrode Ty's brain and worked directly with her body. She leaned in to drown the fear. Azula needed her and she would give Azula everything she needed.

Their lips ghosted across each other, a light touch that would haunt them forever. It was the faintest trace of pressure, but it was enough to trigger the trap of Azula's mind.

Azula shoved against Ty Lee, but Ty was not about to lose. She could not lose this fight simply because it was not her fight. This was Azula's fight and she would not let her Princess lose. After all Azula had already lost her mother and her free will. Ty Lee would not let Azula lose her heart to the fear, and if she relinquished her hold on the need in her eyes Ty knew that's exactly what would happen.

Ty Lee deepened the kiss and poured her soul into the embrace. Ty felt Azula shift her hands from pushing on her shoulders to pulling on them. She shuddered as she allowed herself to be pulled tighter against her Princess' lips. She closed her eyes and let Azula's lips tell her more than the hidden depths of her eyes would ever give away.

Azula's mind had surrender when she felt Ty Lee intensify the kiss. The only thing left for Azula to do was to let her body do the thinking. It felt like all her nerves were on fire. She burned, and she loved it. There was only one thing wrong with the situation in her body's opinion.

Suddenly Ty's world rolled around much to her stomach's delight. She could feel the soft yet firm plush of her bed under her back and the delicious weight of her Princess bearing down on her. It seemed as if Azula had decided that she would be in control of this burning embrace.

The only sounds in the room were the gasps of sharply inhaled breaths whenever one of them would run out of breath and low moans as they gave into the fire. Unfortunately, two short raps on the door all too soon interrupted those sounds.

The knock managed to knock Azula's brain back into function as she quickly shoved her panting friend away from her and looked down to adjust her clothing. Flinching at the pink-coated cloth, Azula determinedly strode to the door and flung it open.

Standing in the doorway was the Fire Lord's head manservant. Azula knew she was in trouble.

The servant rose a quizzical brow at the paint soaked Princess before bowing. With an imperial wave of her hand, Azula dismissed the gesture and allowed the man to straighten his back as far as his advanced age would allow.

"Princess Azula, the Fire Lord requests your presences at once."

Azula hid her grimace with years of practice as she answered in her most disinterested tone. "Very well. I will be there shortly. Allow me to change into more suitable attire and then I will seek my father out in his study as I am sure that is where he is. Please relay the message as such to the Fire Lord."

"Yes, that would seem advisable under the present…circumstances. I will do as instructed. Farewell Princess Azula."

And with a final bow he strode out of the doorway toward his master's study leaving tension in his wake.

Azula sighed and grimaced down at her ruined outfit one last time before she began to turn around to face the source of all her current troubles. She struggled to keep composed as she saw the happy, vulnerable gleam in her…friend's eyes.

The silence engulfed Azula as for once she was at a loss for words. Ty Lee saw her Princess struggling and immediately bounded to her side to comfort her. She put her arms around Azula's neck and felt her Princess stiffen against her embrace.

"Ty Lee…I have to go."

Ty looked into Azula's eyes and saw that the fear was back and winning again. Maybe she was wrong to think that a silly kiss would change anything.

Ty Lee had lost.

Ty let her Princess go and said the only thing she could.

"Ok 'Zula. I'll be here."

Azula merely nodded her head. And with that she spun on her heel and left a devastated Ty Lee in her wake.

* * *

Ty Lee came back to herself to find that not much had changed from that fateful memory to this moment. The walls were still coated in pink and Ty was still smothered by a loss.

In fact the only real change in the room was that someone had to have covered up the pink swath across the ceiling in much the same way that Azula had covered up herself after that one intimate moment. Ty Lee remember how after that kiss Azula went out of her way to ignore her, only standing her friend's company if cornered. It was the final straw for Ty Lee.

Looking around the room now Ty's eyes fell on a small wooden box decorated in a fire lily motif. Forcing herself out of her bed, she made her way to the vanity the small container was perched on. Undoing the latch slowly, Ty Lee gently lifted the lid and gazed down at the material manifestation of the cause of everything.

* * *

It had been an especially cold winter night in the Palace. There had even been excited whispers going around the Palace staff that there might even be a rare frost overnight. Azula couldn't understand what they were so excited about. She hated the cold as any good fire bender would.

Oh yes, she hated the cold as it was the reason she had been having so much trouble sleeping of late.

That was a good excuse, but not the real reason and Azula hated the truth even more. What had really been keeping her up on those cold winter nights was the thought of a certain gray-eyed acrobat and how much warmer it would be to snuggle up next to her.

But such thoughts were strictly forbidden, as they would only serve to distract her from the work her father entrusted her with. Azula absentmindedly rubbed her finally healed shoulder. She had already paid the price for giving into them once.

Still the knowledge that she had been hurting her little acrobat by constantly ignoring the girl was a price all of its own. It was this knowledge that kept her up at night as she struggled to decide which payment was higher: her father's disapproval or Ty Lee's pain?

She had finally come to a decision the night before all the whispers about Agni's punishment to fire benders: the accursed frost. It was time to set things to rights with the little acrobat and she hoped the object tucked away in her sash would do just that. Now the only problem was getting it to her and having time to talk to her uninterrupted. That left a late night stealth operation as her only option.

Azula crept through the secret tunnels that her and Ty had explored as children and finally reached Ty Lee's room.

Azula, not wishing to alert the guards, skipped the formality of knocking on her acrobat's door just this once. Instead she reached for the handle only to find it was locked.

A cross Azula whispered some choice words that she had picked up from spying on the kitchen staff. Of course this would be the one night that the normally trusting-to-a-fault acrobat locked her door.

Azula sighed and glanced around. There were no guards on either side of the hall, so Azula decided to risk knocking on the door instead of trying again some other night or more likely just melting the door handle.

Azula lightly tapped on her friend's door. Luckily, Ty Lee was apparently up and awake as the door quickly swung open. Not so luckily, Azula was surprised when a well-aimed chi-blocking blow came dangerously close to her face. The Princess managed to lean into a low backbend just in time to avoid Ty's powerful knuckles. Had it been anyone else Azula doubted they would have been able to dodge such an attack.

Azula let loose a smug smile as she let gravity take control. The little acrobat lunged through the thin air where she could've sworn a palace guard had been before. Azula caught the weight of her own fall with her hands and forced her body into a forward mule kick. The Princess' legs found the center of the intended target and forced Ty Lee's outstretched body into the opposite direction of her lunge. The momentum of the kick carried the little acrobat to the center of the room as Azula gracefully flung her body into it as well.

Crouched on her hunches, Azula quickly rose and shut the door behind her. The entire exchange had taken place in a split second, but the Princess was not going to risk being caught by a guard now.

Ty Lee lay on her back staring up at a swath of pink against a red ceiling. She was completely winded. Azula would not be pleased to hear how a lowly palace night guard had defeated her. Slowly she rose from her spot on the floor. She would not be beat that easily.

When the acrobat had finally picked herself up and found her would-be victim, the air from her lungs left her again.

"Azula! What are you doing here?"

There the Princess stood against the door inspecting the nails of her left hand.

"It's good to see you too, Ty Lee. I especially enjoyed your greeting."

Ty Lee blushed before she stuttered out a reply, "Ummm… I thought you were a pa-pa-palace guard. You, you aren't supposed to be here. Not tonight."

Ty Lee looked from the still leaning Princess to the wide open window and back again. Azula noticed right away that her Ty was, well, not her Ty at the moment. She followed Ty Lee's wayward glance towards the window and spied the unassuming bag on the floor. Suddenly it was hard to breathe.

Azula pushed herself away from the door and slowly stalked across the room. Finally she reached her prey. Bending down, she lifted the offending bag off the floor and merely stared at it. Suddenly she didn't feel like the predator anymore.

"I never thought you'd actually do it," Azula gazed at the bag in her talons as she continued to softly muse to herself. "All those years talking about running away to the circus and I never thought you'd do it."

Swiftly Azula threw the bag against the wall. The muffled thump was soon followed up by mumbled words.

"You weren't even going to say goodbye…Just like mother."

Ty Lee's mouth went dry as the Princess began to cackle. There was something off about the laughter that was spilling uncontrollably out of Azula's mouth. It was too hard and cold, like ice shattering against a rock.

Finally the laughter stopped, but the silence did not last. Azula spun on her heel and marched toward the stunned Ty Lee. The hard heels of her boots and ragged breathing filled the silence.

She came face to face with Ty Lee who instinctively began to back away, but with the speed of lightning Azula struck outward and trapped Ty's wrist in her claw. She drew the acrobat to her.

Eye to eye at last, the Fire Princess breathed in and breathed out, "Are you leaving me?"

Ty Lee was shocked. She could not understand the swiftness of the world around her. She had told no one of her plans tonight. The circus was in town for the last night and this was her only chance. She had not thought Azula would come tonight. She had not thought Azula would ever come again. She had thought she'd lost her, but here she was eye-to-eye, face-to-face, almost lip-to…

"Are you leaving me!"

Azula's eye's blazed over as she roared out her question. She snapped Ty's wrist backward, forcing the young acrobat to her knees. The Fire Princess raised her other flaming fist.

"Are you LEAVING ME!" She bellowed like a beast. She _had_ to know.

"Yes," came the quiet reply from the bowing girl in pink.

Abruptly the sounds of harsh breathing and hissing flames were swallowed up by the plop of tears hitting the marbled floors. Ty Lee balled up her free hand against the cold and now wet floor and threw back her head to give her captor a watery glare the Princess would never forget.

"Yes, I'm leaving, but I'm not leaving you. I can't leave you, Princess, because you've already left me. I've waited and waited for you to come back…But you never did and now I know you never will."

Azula looked down into Ty Lee's stormy grey eyes and saw emotions swimming in them she had seen a thousand times before: fear, pain, and anger. She knew this pattern. It wouldn't be too much longer before hatred overflowed those slate orbs. It had happened to everyone she knew except Ty Lee.

She couldn't take that look from her, not her.

The Fire Princess was use to people hating her. They thought she was a monster to be feared and these pathetic people always hated what they feared. Even her own mother hated the monster, but Azula didn't mind. She enjoyed being feared and hated. She reveled in her monstrosity because it was what gave her power.

But now that the monster had finally tamed the last human in its life, Azula didn't feel powerful. On the contrary, she felt small and weak.

Gazing into Ty Lee's eyes something inside Azula snapped. Her fire died out and her knees failed her. She could no longer look into those eyes. She feared that at any second the hatred would rise to the top of Ty's eyes, and she could not stand it if she hated her.

Ty stared in amazement as the Princess' fire went out. She had thought for sure that her little speech had earned her a lasting scar. As Azula's knees slammed to the unforgiving marble floor, followed quickly by the release of her bruised wrist, Ty Lee could not help but raise her eyebrows. Her face had no expression for what came next.

Slowly, as if Azula was waging war with her stiffened posture, she placed her finely manicured hands and then her feverishly hot forehead on the cold floor. There, in front of the acrobat's stunned eyes, was the Fire Princess bowing prostrate before a lowly noble. Besides her father, Azula bowed to no one and yet here she was in the lowliest form of prostration in front of an aspiring runaway.

"Forgive me, Ty Lee."

If the bowing had stunned her mind those four words shocked Ty's heart into stillness. Azula rarely apologized and those rare words were always enough to earn Ty Lee's grace.

Slowly Ty Lee inched her hand forward until her fingertips gently brushed Azula's sculpted chin. The wetness she found there surprised Ty Lee so much that she nearly yanked her hand away. She had never seen Azula cry before.

Ty Lee drew in a settling breath and gently raised her Princess' chin. After what seemed like an eternity their eyes finally met. The tears fell down from gold and grey eyes alike. A gentle smile dawned upon Ty's face.

"I forgive you, 'Zula."

And with that the little acrobat drew her Princess into her and held her tight. It was one of the only moments of peace Azula had ever known. Her mind quieted and her heart sang. She had never felt like this before. She wanted it to last forever, but after a few minutes reality began to set back in.

Azula now knew that she could not live with Ty Lee's hatred. Unfortunately, she also knew that if she forced Ty Lee to stay with her the acrobat would eventually come to hate the Princess. There was only one thing to do.

The Fire Princess reluctantly pulled away from Ty Lee's embrace and pulled them both to their feet.

Still holding onto her acrobat's hands, Azula swallowed her fear and said, "Well then...The circus?"

Ty Lee looked down at the puddle still on the floor made from both their tears, "Yes, Princess. I need to get out of here. My mother is pushing for me to start finding suitors like my sisters, father can't tell me apart from my sisters, Mai is too busy moping since Zuko, and well..." She paused to look into Azula's eyes. It was clear to them both that the next person she was going to list was the Princess. She continued, "Besides, it's what I've always wanted and this is my last chance. Please understand 'Zula!"

Azula sighed as she looked at the begging face of her acrobat. She knew what she had to do.

Putting on the falsest smile she would ever wear, Azula squeezed her friend's hands and said, "I understand, Ty Lee. It is time for you to leave, but before you leave I have a small token so you won't forget that you are a noble amongst commoners."

Azula dropped one of Ty Lee's hands and pulled her gift out of her sash. She presented the present to Ty Lee who took it into both her hands and marveled at it.

It was a gorgeous finely wrought choker necklace made by two elegantly thin strands of silver and gold looping around each other. Inlayed within each open loop between the two strands were alternating sapphires and pink rubies. Ty Lee ran her fingers lightly along first the gold band then the silver, stopping at each gem to trace its outline. It was the most breathtaking piece of jewelry she had ever seen let alone owned.

Azula watched as the still stunned acrobat turned the necklace over and over again in her hands. It was overwhelming and yet again the Princess was losing her emotional balance in front of her Ty Lee. The silence was too much so she had to speak.

"The royal jeweler can do magnificent work rather quickly when he has the right incentive."

The awe easily flowed from Ty Lee's voice as she asked, "You had this commissioned?"

"Well of course I did. I wanted the silver for your eyes and the gold for mine. As for the gems, you did say blue and pink were your favorite color. My idea was perfect, so obviously I had to have it commissioned." Azula looked at Ty reproachfully for such a stupid question before she sheepishly asked, "You like, do you not?"

Ty Lee's smile broke out in its widest rendition to date, before she answered, "Yes! It's perfect 'Zula! Can you help me put it on?"

Azula nodded stiffly and took the necklace from Ty Lee's hands. They both walked to Ty Lee's vanity and stood before it. Azula quickly swept Ty's braid out of her way and clasped the necklace into place. It was stunning as it hugged her acrobat's graceful neck.

Azula's hands lingered on Ty's neck for longer than they had to and they both knew it, and so Ty Lee turned to face her Princess. She stared into the still glistening gold eyes and leaned forward to capture Azula's lips. Azula wrapped her arms around the acrobat's lower back and pulled her into her own body. Ty Lee's hands fisted into cloth of Azula's shirt.

They stayed that way for an indeterminable amount of time, but finally Azula sighed and pushed away from Ty Lee. Picking up the once thrown pack and handing it to Ty Lee, Azula said, "It's time for you to go, Ty Lee."

The surprise and confusion were written all over the acrobat's open face.

"What do you mean, 'Zula?"

Azula grounded her teeth together as she forced herself to keep her composure.

"The sun will be up soon, and you need to be out of the palace before then if you plan on ever making it to the circus."

The look of surprise and confusion turned into to one of deep hurt as the acrobat asked yet another question, "You want me to leave to go join the circus?"

"Well of course. That is what you wanted, is it not? I won't stop you. Besides, it's for the best. You are just a distraction and I can't give you what you want."

Azula's heart broke as the tears fell from Ty Lee's face yet again. She knew she was hurting the little acrobat, but it was for her own good. Soon she would grow to resent and hate Azula. The only way to keep her Ty Lee was for Azula to let her go.

Ty lee, completely oblivious to Azula's inner dialogue, felt completely lost. She had felt the love in Azula's kiss. She knew the Princess loved her, but these other words and actions were too much. She had to leave.

Ty Lee walked up to Azula's outstretched hand and took the pack. She walked past Azula and hopped onto the windowsill, but before she jumped she turned back one last time to stare at the back of her Princess.

"I love you, 'Zula."

And with that she jumped from the ledge and into her life as a circus acrobat.

With Azula's back turned to her she never did see the tears streak down the Princess face as her heart burned up for the last time.

* * *

Ty Lee traced her hand over that beautiful necklace, and sighed.

It had taken her many months to understand Azula's strange behavior on that night, but she had finally understood. Azula had been afraid to love her and so she had let Ty Lee go.

Leaving that night was Ty Lee's single greatest regret. She had given up on her Princess that night, and it had changed them both forever.

Ty Lee slammed the lid shut on the memory and made a vow to herself.

She would not fail Azula again. She would see her Princess through this. She would return to the detention center tomorrow, and she would stay for a full visit.

She had made mistakes, but she was going to fix them.

She would fix Azula.

* * *

Well it sure has been awhile. Hope y'all enjoyed.

R&R if you will.

Peace!


	9. Ch 9: Midnight Conversations

Hey there y'all! I've just finished yet another round of finals and I am now preparing to head to Alaska for a month of hands on learning experience with resource management. In other words I am sorry that the updates are/will be so slow for awhile.

Oh this first part might seem random, but it'll make sense later on. Trust me...if you dare

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, but I am now a proud owner of Muck Boots. Almost makes up for it... Almost.

* * *

Suki quick-marched behind the two hulking towers of royal guards. As her hard-soled brown boots slapped against the solid black marble floors of the seemingly never ending halls, she silently fumed. It had been a month since she had last seen Sokka, and, as it was the first night of celebrations in the city, she had planned on spending some _real_ quality time with her boyfriend tonight. Tomorrow her official day of duty as the ceremonial, and technically practical, guard for the visiting Earth Kingdom dignitaries would start bright and early in the morning as well. In short, Suki was not pleased when her alone time with Sokka was interrupted by these heavily armored thugs knocking on her door demanding that she accompany them to the royal chamber at that very moment.

The torches in their sconces flickered between red and gold walls. Their light was a little low for Suki's taste, as she did not care for the fact that the high ceiling was nothing more than swirling darkness and the black floor beneath her seemed to swallow up the flame. It was as if she was floating in a stormy night sky, and, as she fixed her slightly rumpled robes for the umpteenth time, she decided she did not like it. There was something a little too foreboding about this whole thing.

Finally, after innumerable giant columns and glaring paintings, the guards stopped in front of a magnificent double-door emblazoned with the flame of the Fire Nation. Suki held back the urge to whistle. This had to be the Royal suite. The guards nodded to their identical counterparts stiffly pressed on either side of the doorway and they slowly opened the rich and most likely heavy metal-inlaid mahogany doors.

The opulent doors gave way to an elegantly simple sitting room with a low table set with tea, four red cushions with gold lining, and two stoney looking Fire Nation royals. Suki bowed from the waist and quickly straightened when Zuko waved her off. As she straightened her spine, Suki took a closer look at both Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai. Judging from their only slightly hidden scowls, this talk would not be the most pleasant conversation Suki had ever had with the young Fire Nation Royals.

Zuko motioned to one of the fluffy looking red cushions on the opposite side of the table from himself and politely asked, "Would you mind sitting Suki? This shouldn't take long, but we are all tired."

Suki swiftly nodded her head once and dropped into a cross-legged sitting position on the cushion. She deftly rearranged her cumbersome battle skirts and placed her hands on her knees. She had left her gloves in Sokka's rooms on accident, but she was glad for it now. The feel of the fabric of her battle dress against the bare skin of her palm was a welcomed comfort during this oddly nerve-wracking moment.

Suki took a quick inhale of breath and gently fisted the material over her knees to tire to calm her nerves before she looked at her late-night hosts and softly asked, "Might I ask what is so important that I am currently sitting in the Fire Lord's personal sitting room at this late hour?"

Zuko and Mai looked at each other and silently communicated through their eyes as their guest looked on. After a second of silent talking the Fire Lady nodded her head ever so slightly and the Fire Lord sighed. Zuko began to fidget with the tea set that had been placed on the table awhile ago. He quickly heated the tea back up and began to pour three cups of the steaming liquid. As he poured he began to speak, "Uncle always says that tea helps sooth conversations as well as nerves. Take some if you will Suki and we will explain why you are here while you drink."

Suki happily accepted the proffered tea and raised her eyebrows at Zuko's statement. This would be no happy chat amongst friends if Zuko was already quoting his Uncle Iroh.

Zuko continued after he saw Suki take her first sip, "Well as you know the entire reason for you and the other representatives across the other Nations being here is to celebrate the end of the Hundred Years War."

Suki rolled her eyes.

"Well duh, Zuko. What other reason could there be?" Suki noticed the significant glance the two Fire Royals gave each and sighed, "Ok then, what's the real reason we are all here?"

Zuko ran a nervous hand through his loose hair and looked Suki right in her eyes.

"You most likely have heard of the Harmony Restoration Movement that Aang negotiated between King Kuei and me."

Suki put her cup of tea down on the table and tapped the table in thought, "That would be the plan where the old Fire Nation Colonies in the Earth Kingdom are to be given back to the Earth King and the Fire Nation settlers are to be relocated to the Fire Nation, right?"

Zuko's face looked grimmer than usual as he nodded and continued, "That's right. Well there have been some...complications since then."

"Complications?" Suki's eyebrows rose even higher. What could have gone wrong now?

Mai lightly rested her hand on her husband's shoulder and answered for him, "Yes, complications. There was recently an assassination attempt on Zuko's life."

"What?" Suki quickly reached across the table and grabbed Zuko's right hand that was resting on there, "Zuko, I am glad you aren't hurt. Do we know who did it? Am I here to help find them? Please, Zuko, just tell me what it is that you need and I will help in anyway I can."

Mai's face momentarily twitched into a brief smirk.

"My spirits, Suki, so many questions in one breath. Perhaps Sokka is rubbing off on you?"

Suki's face reddened and Zuko chuckled softly before his face returned to its grim state. He cleared his throat and answered Suki.

"Well we do need your help, Suki, but it's not to find the assassin. She has already been apprehended and punished...in a sense anyways."

Suki let go of Zuko's hand and returned her own to her knees. She wrapped up the material of her war dress in her hands as her thoughts wrapped around her brain. So far this conversation had supplied more questions than answers. What did the Harmony Restoration Movement have to do with the assassination attempt on Zuko's life? If the assassin was already caught what help could she provide? And most of all why was all of this so hush-hush? She hadn't heard of the assassination attempt and now here she was in the middle of the night talking about such things. What in the great spirit world was going on here?

Suki was getting frustrated and she did not like to be frustrated. She had gotten better at controlling her temper, but she was no where close to being considered patient. Suki released the material she had entrapped in her fist and asked the most logical question. "What is it that you want from me, Zuko?"

Mai could tell that their guest was getting impatient. It was time to cut to the chase.

"If you don't mind, Zuko, I would like to explain the rest to Suki."

With a slight nod Zuko sat back and let Mai do the talking.

"Suki, the woman who attacked my husband was the daughter of a Fire Colony Governor. It seems that there are a lot of older Fire Nation Colonies that would prefer to continue to exist, and it's not just the Fire Nation citizens of these colonies that want this. The Earth Kingdom peoples and the Fire Nation peoples of these older colonies have made a life together. In short, forcing the Fire Nation peoples out of these areas would destroy families and communities. So while all sorts of dignitaries are here for the next year to celebrate the peace, Zuko and I were going to initiate talks of what to do with the Fire Nation Colonies. We don't know yet what should be done, but we will not force our people out of the Earth Kingdom. And this is where we need you. You are a well known hero in the Earth Kingdom. We will need your support for a new plan and we need you to agree that the Harmony Restoration Movement is no longer a viable option."

Suki's hands that had balled into an ever tighter fist while listening to Mai's speech suddenly slammed upon the table. Her tea cup overturned, spilling tea all over the table, but no one moved to clean it. It seemed that no one even breathed as the vibrations from Suki's fists contacting the table shook through them all. Zuko and Mai had never guessed that Suki would have such a reaction.

Inside her head Suki fumed. This was too much. If Zuko and Mai believed they could use her like a pawn they had another thing coming. She had heard Sokka proudly talk about how Aang had negotiated the Harmony Restoration Movement with King Kuei. It was to be a symbol of how the Fire Nation could be trusted to uphold the peace, but here was the Fire Lord going back on his word. Everything she had fought for was in that treaty. That land was Earth Kingdom, Spirits damn it! She would not be their fool!

Keeping her hands on the table and her eyes on the Fire Nation royals Suki spoke through gritted teeth. "I can't believe you, Zuko. I can understand Mai to a certain extent. She was always a politician to the bone. Of course, she would try to weasel out of an agreement that no longer suited her mood for the day. But you Zuko," Here she lifted her right hand off the table and pointed it right at the Fire Lord's heart, "I thought you had more honor, more loyalty. I won't be a pawn in your power games. Your sister thought she could use me as a pawn and you see where it got her. No, you can forget about any help from me."

Zuko lunged for Suki's still outstretched hand and clasped it in his own two hands. There was a sadness in his eyes that kept Suki from tearing her hand away from his.

"You are my friend Suki, not a pawn. I am not my sister. I do not use my friends. And I deeply regret breaking this agreement. I wish to the spirits that I didn't have to, but I was there Suki. I went there to punish the girl's father, but what I saw there was a community, no, a family of Earth and Fire Nation peoples living and thriving in peace together. Don't you see, Suki? We didn't fight this war to separate the Nations, but to bring them together. If we destroy this harmony for the sake of politics, then we will have turned our backs on all the sacrifices of the past. Please Suki. Help us."

Suki felt foolish. She had misjudged her friends, and badly at that. Zuko was just trying to do what he thought was right, and when he spoke it did sound right. Still she was hesitant.

Suki reached across the table with her left hand and clasped their joined hands. She smiled slightly as she began to speak, "I'm sorry I misunderstood you. I should have known you weren't using me. I can't say I completely agree with all of this, but I will keep an open mind and I will make sure those around me do so too."

Zuko grinned and Mai spoke quietly, "That's all we ask."

Suki and Zuko let there hands drop and Mai produced a handkerchief for Suki to wipe the spilled tea off the table. As Zuko prepared to fill another cup for Suki, she waved him off.

"No thanks, Zuko. If that is all you guys wanted to talk about I think I'll go back to my room."

Again Mai smirked.

"Don't you mean, Sokka's room?"

And again Suki's face lit up to match her hair.

"And what of it, Mai?"

"Nothing, but we actually just have one more thing to talk to you about."

Suki held her breath and counted to ten lest she break the table in another bout of anger.

Mai noticed her friend's change and decided to get it over with.

"Actually, it's more of a favor to me. You see I know that Ty Lee has her heart set on visiting Azula, but I was hoping you could manage to talk her out of it. We both know she's only going to get hurt and well you do have some...authority over her."

Suki sighed and shook her head before replying to Mai, "No, Mai, I will not ban her from seeing Azula anymore than you will. It is her choice, and though I have discouraged it I will do nothing more.

Mai's mouth turned down into a deep frown.

"I see. Well I guess we can't always protect our friends. This time she will have to learn the hard way."

Suki frowned too as she rose, "Yes, I am afraid she will. Well goodnight."

The Fire Nation royals said their farewells and Suki left for Sokka's rooms. There was much to discuss with him...later.

* * *

As everyone slept in the palace, there was at least one soul that was still awake in the detention center.

Azula's eyes stared unseeing up to the ceiling. To any passer-byers it seemed as if the Princess was catatonic per usual, but inside Azula's head a change had begun. Something was awakening behind dull brass eyes.

Azula had seen. She had been aware. The presence of her once beloved Ty Lee had been enough to shake off the weight of catatonia and let her mind see past itself for once in a very long time. And now only the sight and sound of her Ty Lee filled her mind.

They were in the palace gardens lounging beneath the best shade tree. Azula felt the need to reach out and touch the little acrobat, but she couldn't. Her Lord father was nearby as usual and he would burn them both if he saw Azula harboring such weak affections for a lower noble women. So instead Azula got up to leave the focal point of all her weak emotions behind her.

She crossed what felt like miles of gardens over bridges, through flowering bushes, and under blooming trees. She just kept walking, but then she felt a hand in her own. She looked down at her hand and saw powerful, beautiful fingers. She glanced up at the deceivingly delicate wrist and followed the well toned arm up to a slender neck and finally the gleeful face of her Ty Lee.

Hadn't she left her back under the tree?

The gleeful face began to giggle and then opened its mouth to say, "Oh silly 'Zula, I'll never leave you."

For a second, Azula was astonished that Ty Lee had read her mind and so she asked, "How did you know what I was thinking, Ty?" But even as the words left Azula's mouth, she looked away from the gray eyes of her dearest friend and noticed the too-perfect gardens that seemed to stretch into eternity without walls or anyone else in sight. At last Azula gave a wary sigh and lowered her gaze to the ground before continuing, "You aren't real are you? None of this is real."

The dream Ty Lee pulled her suddenly despondent friend into a tight embrace. As she held the Princess close she began to gently nuzzle the girl's hot neck under the corner of her jaw with her cold button nose. After what felt like an eternity the fake Ty released her friend and pushed back so that she could grip Azula's stiffly armored shoulders. The false Ty Lee then began to run her hands over the hard shoulder pads and up the Princess' gorget. When her fingers reached the top of Azula's armored neck piece, she let her right hand travel back down to the front of the still sullen girl's breastplate above her quickening heart.

"So much armor. What are you trying to protect yourself from, 'Zula?"

Azula could feel her heart thundering in her chest and something told her this pretend Ty Lee could feel it just as easily. There was no point in this armor. It couldn't protect her heart, not from her. At last she croaked out a whispered reply, "From you...or at least the real you."

Azula felt the hand still roaming on the top of her gorget go still, but then it moved from the cold gold of her armor to the warm alabaster of her skin. Azula shivered as the false Ty Lee's fingertips lightly trailed up her neck, following a blue-veined route up to her firm jaw. The cold fingertips traced a line of warmth along the underside of her jaw until they came to a stop beneath her down-turned chin. With surprising strength those deceiving fingers gently lifted the Princess' stubborn jaw, and at last gold met gray. Azula knew without a doubt that she would always be trapped in those oh so familiar gray pools.

The impostor Ty Lee gently smiled and softly asked, "You asked me if I was real, right 'Zula?"

The trapped Princess could barely manage a nod in the affirmative between her captured chin and eyes.

The fake Ty's smile grew a little wider before she continued, "Well the truth is 'Zula I am not real in a technical sense. I am a shadow of your certain past and a shade of your possible future."

As Azula listened to these foreign words pass from a familiar mouth, a fire exploded behind her eyes and she remember what it was to truly feel again.

"ENOUGH!"

The shouted word reverberated throughout the too-perfect world. This wasn't her Ty Lee. Her Ty Lee didn't talk in riddles. She always said what she felt when she felt it. It was one of the things Azula loved about her. This was the last straw. The hallucinations could messed with anyone, but her Ty Lee.

The Princess slapped away the impostor's hand from her heart and threw the other from her chin. She closed the distance between herself and this imaginary fraud and she spoke the words that had been clawing at her mind for a year now.

"Enough, I said. I have had enough of these words without sense, these voices without truth, and these faces without substance. No more. I have suffered enough of these indignities. I will suffer them no longer. I lost! What more do you want? I ADMIT DEFEAT, BUT I WILL NOT SURRENDER!"

And with a feral scream Azula spun on her heel and turned her back on the lie that would be her Ty Lee. However as she turned from one lie another greeted her in the form of the endless gardens. The fire inside herself could not be held back any longer. If the lies refused to go away she would simply burn them away forever.

The blue fire overflowed the dam that had formed inside Azula, and like any river just freed from its man-made limitations it rushed forth to greedily consume everything in its path. It poured and surged forth from Azula in a deluge that swept over all of the gardens until there was nothing left but ash and soot, but still the flames were starved. Since the fraudulent Ty Lee had long since vanished, that left only Azula for the flood of flame to consume, and consume it did. Like a giant whirlpool of flame it pulled its creator down to her knees as it burned her up.

After an eternity of burning, finally the flames burned out and left the consumed Princess on her knees in an endless field of soot and ash. Azula looked all around her, but there was nothing to see. It was all gone. Everything was soot and ash. As the unsettling feeling of emptiness filling up her heart took hold of the Princess, she at last began to understand. It was all her fault. She was all alone in a world of destruction and pain with no friendly face or kind word to soothe the burning she felt in her soul and it was all her own doing. But even as she began to grapple with this overwhelming feeling of desolation and loneliness, she felt eyes upon her back.

Azula would always look back at this moment and wonder whether this phantom had risen from the soot-encrusted land or fallen from the ash-covered sky, but the truth was much simpler than this. He had been there for years, watching and trying to help. After all, his father had taken it as his duty to guide this poor young woman's brother, but he had somehow overlooked the broken sister. Therefore this spirit had decided it was his duty to right what he considered was his father's greatest oversight and help this very trouble girl.

But this self-imposed duty had been no easy task. This young woman's demons were formidable foes and he had been unsuccessful in guiding her through her spirit journey for the past year. In fact, he had all but given up hope until this most recent moment when his young charge had felt the stirrings of a true emotional breakthrough. True, it had only been a second of self-awareness, but it was the first inkling of something that the spirit thought was lurking deeper inside the girl. She had felt tenderness...love. And though it was only a second, that was all it took to renew his faith and help him change his strategy.

For the past year he had stubbornly tried again and again to influence some of the young woman's visions to help indirectly guide her towards her true path to no avail. It was time to face the fact that unlike his father he could not afford to guide his charge with indirect methods such as riddles. There simply was no time for such things. It was time for a more direct approach.

The spirit knew Azula could feel him watching her, but he suspected she needed reassurance that there was indeed another presence in this barren wasteland. Ever the minimalist, he simply cleared his throat.

Azula quickly rose and spun on her heel at the sound of the spirit's slight cough, and this time she was ready to confront anything. Or at least she thought she was ready until she saw the spirit that was watching over her.

"Lu Ten?"

And there indeed stood her long-dead cousin just as her sharp young mind remembered him.

"You look pretty good for a guy whose been dead for quite a few years now."

Lu Ten merely chuckled and stroked his bushy side-burns.

"So my look hasn't gone out of style since my death? I guess you can't beat a truly classy look."

Azula rolled her eyes and smirked a bit before she attempted to burst his bubble, "Yes, those mutton-chops are very classy indeed. If I remember correctly the last person I saw sporting those was killed by an angry ocean spirit. He was quite the classy fellow."

Lu Ten grinned wider and decided to continue to play along, "A classy fellow indeed."

Azula noticed that her nonchalant attitude was having no effect on this hallucination and it frustrated her. In a tone that flirted with rage she attempted to question this new lie before she gave in to anger yet again, "Enough of this worthless talk. I'm not really sure why my mind has decided to conjure a worthlessly dead fool like you, dearest cousin, but I have no intention of spending the rest of the cursed eternity trapped inside of my head with you. Run along now oh dead cousin."

Azula nearly tried to rip out the hallucinations throat when it began to laugh at her. Mind-trick or not, no one laughed at Azula like that.

Finally Lu Ten gained enough control of himself to actually form a sentence, "Wait! Hahaha! You actually think this is all just in your head? Oh hahah! That's priceless little cousin. Oh hehehe!"

Furious at this point Azula yelled back at the spirit, "Well if this isn't all in my head where in the name of Agni am I?"

Lu Ten stopped laughing as he noticed Azula getting visibly angered. It was worthwhile to throw her off balance, but he didn't want to push her over the edge. He was playing a dangerous game here.

"Where do you think you are, Azula? I will give you a hint: I am no hallucination."

Azula's face went from anger to expressionless in a mere second.

"Well if you really are the spirit of my dead cousin, then I must be dead too. So this must be my own personal version of hell in the spirit world. I wonder how I died. You would think I'd get to remember that. I do so hope my loser brother managed to find his courage and he killed me himself. It would be a pity else wise."

Lu Ten sadly shook his head before replying, "You always did manage to find the worst option first, Azula. It made you a better schemer, but at the price of a normal size of hope in your heart. No, little cousin, you aren't dead. There's hope for you yet. Actually you are stuck in between worlds."

Azula quickly pondered this statement and asked the only thing she could think of, "What? You know I don't put much stock in this spiritual nonsense you and your crazy father are always going on about, so just explain what the hell is going on here in the most straightforward terms. No philosophy. No mad mumblings."

Again Lu Ten chuckled.

"You know, I always did enjoy when you were straightforward yourself. Anyways, in the simplest terms you are on a spirit journey. You managed to lose yourself...and your mind if you don't _mind_ me saying so. Tehe! And you managed to do such a good job of hiding away what it is that you need to find that you have been trapped here for...oh about a year. But I think you are starting to come out of the worst of it if that's any consolation."

Azula slowly lowered herself to the ground.

"A year? I've been here for a whole year? That is completely ridiculous. I think I would have noticed a year pass."

Lu Ten sat down across from Azula and gave her a pitying smile before softly saying, "My dear cousin, I don't think you've noticed much of anything important for a long, long time."

Azula flinched at Lu Ten's cryptic words and a sudden realization hit her.

"It was you..."

Lu Ten turned a puzzled look towards his youngest cousin and asked, "Beg pardon, but what was me?"

Azula began to grow angry again, but she managed to reign her anger in so that there was only a slight edge to her tone as she continued, "It was you all along. Those cryptic messages that people would say in here, those disgusting hallucinations, this whole thing is your doing. Admit it."

"I will only admit to manipulating a hallucination here or there, but this conundrum and most of your hallucinations were all your own doing. I am only here to help, never to hurt. I want you out of this place as badly as you do. Maybe more so considering that it is all your own fault that you are still stuck here."

Azula stared right into Lu Ten's eyes as she asked, "And what exactly do you mean by that."

Lu Ten smiled extra wide and replied, "Nothing expect that the only reason you are still here is because you are too cowardly to deal with your emotions."

At these words Azula leapt from the ground and attempted to tackle her cousin. Lu Ten rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the collision. Azula picked herself up out of the soot and stalked to her cousin until she towered directly above him.

"I am no coward."

"No, you are not a coward when it comes to physical battles dearest cousin, but the second the heart has to be dealt with you run and hide like the greenest foot soldier. You can't deny it so don't even try. Now I have had enough of these little word games. If you would sit and listen for once I can help you get out of this cursed wasteland...Or you can spend the rest of your like talking to piles of soot. Your choice."

Azula knew she didn't really have a choice in the matter. She had to get out of this hell-hole and if that meant listening to this fool she would do it.

Once Azula had again seated herself, Lu Ten began, "Now my dearest cousin, you have a lot of serious problems that I frankly cannot help you with, but there is one person who I think just might be able to save your lost spirit. You and I both know who this person is. Ty Lee is the key to all of this. She is the only one who has ever given you love that you have whole-heartedly returned. She has seen your dark and still sees your light despite it. Now listen to me carefully because this is the most important part. You have already begun to drift back to your world and you will soon awaken. You are getting out of this hell, but if you want to stay out you need to embrace the love you have for Ty Lee. Only she can help you mend your broken spirit. Do you understand? Let her love you, Azula."

Lu Ten stared into Azula's golden eyes and watched as they grew dimmer and dimmer as her body began to disappear from the in between. Father always had said his timing was a bit on the dramatic side. It looked as if he had just managed to get his message through to his cousin before her spirit reunited with her body back in the living world. He prayed to Agni that she would take his advice, or else their little chats would become a more frequent occasion and frankly he didn't think he had enough snappy comebacks for multiple verbal spars with her.

Lu Ten stood and brushed the soot from his clothes. With a sigh he disappeared to his perch in the spirit world to watch out for Azula from afar.

* * *

Azula awoke to stare at a high white ceiling. She could smell herbs, medicines, and poultices that stung her nose all around her and the scratchy, stiff bed told her that she was most likely in an infirmary of some sort. It was the feel of the chains rubbing against her burned wrists that gave away the fact that she was in a prison infirmary.

So her dead cousin had been right. She had finally broken free from that place in between the worlds and she was finally back in her real world. The pain in her forearms, wrists, and hands told her she probably would not find this world very enjoyable either, but it would far surpass the tormenting visions that haunted her in the last.

At last Azula could breathe a sigh of relief, but what had that crazy cousin of hers said? Something about love and...

"Ty Lee." Azula croaked out the name and immediately felt powerful, but slight fingers rest on her upper arm. Azula turned toward the new and pleasant sensation and found gray eyes full of tears looking into her gold ones.

"I'm here Azula. I'm right here."

* * *

So this came out really ugly and cliched and a bunch of other stuff, but I wanted to put out something before I left for Alaska for a month.

I know I left you on a cliffhanger... Sorry about. Maybe I'll manage to write another chapter before I leave, but that is a long shot. On a brighter side a lot of the work I'm doing up there is all manual labor, which is perfect for my "creative process". Gets the blood pumping and the mind turning.

At any rate I am sorry I am such a slow updater, but I assure you I read each and every one of your comments and think about them all. It really helps me write. So if you want to be a part of the "creative process" send me a comment. If not no worries :)

I hope you enjoyed!

Peace out.


	10. Ch 10: Reality

So I'm trying not to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, so this isn't going to be pretty.

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA... If I did I wouldn't have troubles writing awesomeness bc I'd already be an awesome storyteller.

* * *

"Ty Lee... Is it... Is it really you?" Azula's voice was harsh and quiet after almost a year without use, but her eyes were clearer and sharper than they had been in a long time.

Ty Lee noticed the change in her Princess' eyes and she beamed as she replied, "Yes 'Zula, it's me. I'm right here."

Azula drank in her acrobat's features like a thirst-craved madwoman lost in the desert might drink from an oasis. It was her Ty alright. Sure her face was a little less rounded than she remembered and her eyes just looked older, but there was her smile clear as day. Azula was back home and Ty Lee was here to welcome her back.

Azula had to touch her. She just had to double check, so she began to lift her right hand toward those lovely red cheeks when she felt chains hold her fast and a searing pain shoot through her arm and hand soon after.

"Gah!" She cried out, "What in the name of Agni..."

Azula looked down at her arm and finally really noticed the bandages that extended from elbow to fingertip and the cuff that wrapped loosely around her wrist. Something had obviously happened that she couldn't remember.

Ty Lee realized what had caused Azula to cry out and from the expression on her Princess' face it was obvious that she wanted an explanation. Ty Lee would not disappoint.

"There was an accident, 'Zula. You just started bending wave after wave of fire and well it got out of control. The burns aren't too serious and there shouldn't be any permanent damage, but it sure is gonna smart for a bit."

Ty Lee remembered when she had heard the news of the "accident". Ty had been asleep in her Fire Palace bed when she had awoken to a pounding on her door. She had been so tired after the failed visit with Azula that she hadn't even changed clothes, and, when she opened the door to a visibly worried Mai, she was glad she hadn't.

"Mai, what is it? Is Zuko ok? What's going on Mai?" Ty Lee had a sinking feeling that this had nothing to do with the Fire Lord and everything to do with his sister.

Mai attempted to compose herself before she delivered the bad news. In all honesty Mai had no idea just how bad the news was. Reports from the detention center had been scant, but very troubling and a small part of Mai feared that Azula had done something drastic that could never be reversed. Looking at the scared face of her friend she prayed to Agni that that wasn't the case.

"It's Azula, Ty Lee. There's been an accident at the detention center. It seems she is in the infirmary and Zuko and I were wondering if you wished to go with us to see her."

"An accident?" Ty's knees went out from under her without her even noticing. Mai caught her still conscious friend as the little acrobat repeated that phrase a few more times. Finally Ty got a hold of herself and stood again.

"I'm ready to go whenever you are."

Ty Lee had traveled quickly with the Fire Nation Royals and arrived to find out, much to her relief, that a night guardsman had smelt smoke coming from Azula's cell in time to pull her out of the inferno with only some fairly bad burns on her lower arms. Again to her relief she also learned that thanks to the healers timely efforts the burns would not even scar.

There was still the problem, however, of why the Princess had released such an inferno in her own room. Had she become sane and tired to escape? Perhaps it was a new symptom of her madness. Or least appealing of the options, maybe in a fleeting moment of coherency she had recognized her desperate situation and tried for a more permanent escape from this world to the next. These were all options laid out on the table by the healers as the Fire Lord and his entourage rushed through the halls to the infirmary. As bad as the other two options were, Ty Lee prayed it was not the last option. Any other was better than the last.

The small troupe of Fire Nation Royalty, acrobat, guards, and healers eventually skidded into the smaller private infirmary room the healers had placed Azula into earlier. If Ty Lee had been paying attention she would have noted the overpowering stench of herbs and poultices that lingered in the small white room, but as it was the little acrobat only had senses enough to take in the figure on the lone bed.

"Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed and ran to her Princess' bedside before the others in her group could even process the fact that she had cried out.

The Fire Lord and Lady both approached the bed and surveyed the bandaged, but otherwise normal looking young woman in the bed. Mai's face was unreadable as always and Zuko's eyes burned with too many emotions to understand.

At last they turned from the bed and beckoned the healers to follow, leaving some guards to watch over the little acrobat and her self-appointed charge.

And so Ty Lee had decided that she would stay by her Princess' bedside even as all the others left to go meet with the healers. It would not do for her to leave Azula now. Not when she could potentially need her now more than ever.

Ty Lee's eyes focused back on Azula's as she heard the girl speak, "So that part really happened too? Well in a sense anyways."

Ty cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"What really happened, 'Zula?"

"Never mind that now. It was just an accident."

Ty Lee studied her Princess' face very closely as she asked, "It _was_ just an accident, right 'Zula?"

"Of course it was. What else could it..." Realization dawned across Azula's face. "Oh no, Ty. I can assure you I wasn't trying to kill myself. If Zuzu wants me gone he's going to have to do it himself. Wouldn't want to deny him the satisfaction."

Finally, after being reassured that the worst had not come to pass, Ty Lee let her emotions go. She cried out and flung herself around Azula's neck. She wept sweet tears of relief into Azula's new prison clothes as she clutched at them with greedy fists.

"Oh Agni, 'Zula! I was so worried! I was afraid I had lost you forever. I finally worked up the courage to come back and try to help you and then I ran out on you and when I heard there had been an an an accident I was so scared I'd never get to see your face again! Oh 'Zula! Please don't ever leave again!"

Azula's tired mind could barely keep up with Ty Lee's actions let alone words. However she understood enough of it to realize that her Ty still cared for her at least. Oh how she longed to wrap her arms around her acrobat and ease her sobs, but the damned chains wouldn't budge an inch. Instead Azula was forced to lie still as Ty Lee cried over her body. A sick thought inside Azula's head wondered if this would have been the scene if she had actually died.

After a few agonizingly slow moments, Ty Lee seemed to come to herself bit by bit. She managed to lift her tired body off of her Princess', but she refused to relinquish all contact. She instead began to stroke Azula's face gently, slowly. It was the most tender of caresses and Ty Lee's heart thrilled with each stroke. How long had she dreamt of seeing those golden orbs stare back at her while she caressed this face? How many sleepless nights had she spent this past year wondering if her 'Zula would ever truly be _Azula_, let alone _hers_ again? Too many perhaps. Maybe not enough.

"Oh 'Zula, I am so so sorry."

But much to the acrobat's surprise she was interrupted by a harsh command of: "Stop. Stop right there. I am too tired tonight to deal with the apologies of a traitor. Tonight I just want to think of you as my Ty Lee. We can deal with everything else tomorrow. Just just...please for tonight let me pretend I just got back from a long trip and you are here with me where you belong. No betrayal. No failure. No...whatever this past year has been. Just this."

If Ty Lee noticed the oddness in Azula pleading for anything she let it pass without question. And so all words were lost to the superior communication of a loving hand against a worn out face.

* * *

Crack!

A small piece of the corner of the lead healer's desk splintered off the rest and fell to the floor when Zuko's fist slammed down on the hard cherry wood desk.

"What do you mean you don't know what happened? You told me there was no chance that she would ever recover to the point of feeding herself, and yet I find myself in your locked down hospital after my sister nearly burned herself to a crisp."

Mai stepped forward and gently gripped her husband's shoulder before whispering in his ear, "Zuko you need to calm down. We can't afford to be reckless in this...situation."

Zuko lifted his hand from the chipped desk and clutched at his wife's hand on his shoulder. He took a steading breath before continuing, "I apologize for the outburst, but you have to understand. My sister...she can be a very dangerous person and I need to know what happened here tonight."

The healer in charge rose out of his chair at the desk and peeled his eyes away from the gouge in it. He had resisted the urge to shout out his thought of 'not my desk', but it still pained him to see his beloved desk so mistreated all the same. He sniffed back his tears and turned to his desk's attacker.

"My Lord, I wish I had some explanation for this occurrence, but in all honesty there is none. While there have been similar cases like your sister's before, we still have no idea why some people manage to break out of it and why others never do."

"Did something set her off? Was there any change in her routine? Anything doctor, please..." Zuko's voice trailed off at the end as he watched the healer ponder.

"There were no new changes to her routine, but there was one new visitor if my memory serves right. A Lady of some sort."

Mai sighed, "That will be Lady Ty Lee. She had been planning on visiting Azula, but I hadn't realized she had gotten here so fast."

"Oh that's right. Suki told us she had planned on visiting yesterday, remember Mai?"

"Now that you mention it, dear, yes I do." Mai's calculating mind began to work in overdrive and she turned to the healer to confirm her fears. "Tell me doctor, is it possible that Lady Ty Lee's visit could have triggered this outbreak? As you may know, the old Princess, myself, and Lady Ty Lee have quite the history together."

The old doctor pulled at his long triangular beard as he speculated, "Yes, yes of course. That would make the most sense. Such things are not unheard of in these cases, though I do not know why this acquaintance in particular could have had such an affect when her brother and other friends did not."

"I think I might know." Mai mumbled to herself.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and let a long breath out before he spoke again, "So that piece of the riddle seems answered, but what about the rest of this mess? Is there anyway of knowing why she set the room on fire? In your professional opinion, as the chief healer in charge of this facility and my sister, was my sister trying to escape...or kill herself?"

The old healer sighed and patted his white beard back into place before he dared answer, "My Lord, there is no way to know for sure what her motives were, but I will tell you this: if she had been trying to kill herself I would think she would have attempted to set herself on fire at some point."

"So she was trying to escape then..." Zuko drew the conclusion after yet another heavy sigh.

Mai squeezed her hand that was still placed on Zuko's shoulder and softly said, "We don't know that Zuko. It might have really been an accident."

Zuko gave his wife a wary smile.

"Since when does Azula have accidents?"

Mai gave him a smirk of her own and replied, "And since when was it fair to rule against someone without evidence?"

Zuko chuckled, "You are right as usual, but I don't want to take any chances with Azula." He turned back to the healer, "I want triple the guards on her right this instance. And if anything more unexpected should occur without supervision of any kind I am coming back to have another little chat with you. And trust me, you won't like this talk anymore than the last."

The old healer gave another furtive glance towards his injured desk and gulped.

"Don't worry, Fire Lord, your sister is in good hands."

And with that the Fire Lord and Lady turned with their personal body guards to leave, but just as Mai was exiting she turned around and said, "We will be back later this evening. If the prisoner is coherent we will want a room set up for a visit. I trust you can arrange something...safe for my Lord and myself."

The healer nodded and the Fire Lady gracefully swept out of the large office.

Once the royals were gone, the head healer rushed to his desk and embraced it. He then began to soothingly stroke his desk as he crooned, "It's ok baby. Daddy won't let the scary man hurt you again."

* * *

The sun was setting through the barred windows of the infirmary as Ty Lee gently wove her fingers in and out of Azula's silky black locks.

Ty Lee had paid a messenger to send word to her Captain, Suki, that she would not be able to be a part of the honor-guard on their first official day of duty because of everything that had happened. This had allowed the young acrobat to spend the entire day in the private infirmary room with her Princess.

As Azula requested, Ty Lee didn't bring up the rocky parts of their past together. Instead she decided to fill her Princess in on all the events and happenings she had missed while she was...away for the last year. It was mostly trivial talk about who had ended up with who and how much she had learned on Kyoshi Island. For the most part Azula had stayed quiet, content in just listening to the sound of her Ty Lee's voice. However there were a couple things she could not let pass without comment, like when Ty Lee explained that she was now a Kyoshi Warrior.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that that group of face-painting clowns took you in after we had destroyed them, imprisoned them, and tortured their leader?"

Ty Lee bit her lip before she began to rebuke Azula, "First of all 'Zula, we are warriors, not clowns. The makeup symbolizes our change from civilian to warrior and it is a time-honored tradition. Second, Suki is my friend now and I really wish you hadn't done what you did to her."

Azula's eyebrows raised higher and higher as Ty Lee continued. Finally she managed to get over her shock to speak, "Since when did you grow a backbone, Ty Lee?"

"I've always had one, silly."

They both had a good laugh and Ty Lee moved the conversation onwards.

There was only one other time during their day-long conversation that did not move as smoothly as they would have liked.

Ty Lee quickly mentioned that Zuko and Mai had tied the knot and although Azula merely grunted her acknowledgement, Ty could tell that this news bothered her Princess. There was a pain in her eyes that should not have been there. Ty Lee silently wondered why Zuko and Mai's wedding bothered her so much, but she decided that it was best to not ask and move the conversation on.

So now here they were. Ty Lee had actually been talked out and Azula felt no need to supply further talk. They were just content to watch the sunset on Azula's first day back, when suddenly yet another healer walked in.

This one looked different from the others that had periodically interrupted the pair's conversation to ask Azula a multitude of questions that she rarely answered. This man was a lot older than most of the other healers and his robes were lined in gold. Azula guessed this was probably the head of the whole operation and she immediately despised him.

"Good evening ladies," The old healer said with a smile, "I would like to have a word with Azula in private."

Azula narrowed her eyes and poured out her words in her deadly honey-toned voice, "Two things you seem to have misunderstood, healer. First , I am not a lady, but Your Highness. Second, Lady Ty Lee is not going anywhere today."

The healer was taken aback by these words, but he simply smiled and waved his hand before replying, "Very well...Your Highness. But at any rate she will have to leave as we are here to prepare you for your private audience with the Fire Lord and Lady."

Azula ground her teeth together.

"I said she stays and if my dearest brother, Zuzu, and his harlot want to have a conversation with me Ty Lee is coming."

"I really must insist..."

"You will do no insisting. I told you what will occur and that is what is going to happen. No more debate."

The head healer's face had turned nearly purple from anger, but he knew if he wanted to get Azula situated in the audience room in time for his very important guests and without injury, then he had no choice but to allow her demands.

"Fine. Lady Ty Lee you can follow the guards."

And with that four hulking guards moved from their corner posts around the room. They each took a position at one of Azula's four limbs and unshackled her from the bed frame. They then re-shackled the cuffs on her ankles and wrists to the opposing cuff of each joint and attached a piece of chain that seemed exactly fitted to Azula's body length from her wrist chain to her ankle chain. Then another guard entered the room carrying a metal muzzle.

Ty Lee bulked at this heavy piece of equipment and turned toward the head healer. She then asked, "Is the muzzle really necessary? I've been talking to her all day and she hasn't so much as raised a hand against me."

"It's a necessary precaution. No matter how coherent she seems to you now she could snap at anytime. Besides you know that the last time she really saw her brother she was attempting to kill him. I think it best for now."

Ty Lee cast her eyes to the ground, but made no other objections as they began to lead her Princess out of the infirmary and down a long hall. At last they came to a heavy metal door and entered. Azula was then shackled to the wall opposite some comfy looking cushions. Ty Lee felt like it was some sick exhibit at a zoo with Azula playing the dangerous beast and the soon to arrive Fire Royals playing the spectators. Ty Lee decided she'd rather play the part of the zookeeper than sit with the spectators.

Azula hated how the metal cuffs rubbed at her aching arms. She wanted to appear strong and in command of the situation when her dearest brother and her traitor-friend showed up, but she feared all they would see was a look of pain in her eyes. So she screwed up her eyes and ignored the pain. Even so, she could still feel a warm trickle of blood running down her arms as she watched Ty Lee give her pitying glances from the middle of the room.

This whole day she had spent pretending like no bad-blood had ever passed between them. It was like Ty Lee had never left for the circus. It was like she had never betrayed her, but now looking at the free Ty Lee in the middle of the room while she was chained to the wall like some beast she could no longer pretend. It had been a mistake to demand that she come here. It was too much.

"So Ty Lee tell me, how is it that a traitor like you is free to walk around, while a loyal daughter of the true Fire Lord is pinned to a wall? I am just dying to hear the answer."

Ty Lee recognized that sickly-sweet tone and she knew the time for pretending like nothing had happened was behind them. It had been nice while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end.

"'Zula, you know I didn't want to betray you. I wish to Agni that there had been some other way, but I couldn't just let Mai die. I couldn't let you do that to Mai or yourself."

Azula's responding laugh was as cold as the creaking metal door as it opened to reveal the Fire Royals and six of their guards.

"We'll continue this talk later, Ty. I am afraid family matters must come first. Priorities and all that."

Azula smiled at her brother and his wife as they took their seats. Ty Lee merely stepped to the side with the guards.

Zuko examined his little sister. It pained him to see her chained up like an animal, but it was better to be safe than sorry with Azula. Besides he would rather face a free-roaming, crazed platypus-bear than a chained Azula anyways. However, he did order one of his guards to remove the muzzle. That was too harsh for the tender-hearted Fire Lord.

The young guard quickly complied with his Lord's wishes and only gulped once when Azula showed him a predatory smile as thanks.

Once the guard had resumed his post, Zuko cleared his throat and began the sure-to-be-interesting conversation.

"Azula, we have come here to discuss yesterday's events as well as your present situation and your future arrangements."

Azula once more let out a heart-shattering laugh before replying to her brother, "I was going to say. 'in my country it is considered polite to exchange hellos', but then I realized I had already used a similar line on you before. Oh you remember that day, don't you Zuzu? I do. I remember that spark of hope in your eyes when I told you Father wanted you home again. I must admit I thought the look in your eye when I told you it was all a lie was much more enjoyable...at least for me anyways."

Zuko clinched his fist until his knuckles began to pop.

"We are not here for a trip down memory lane, Azula."

Azula faked a frown and replied, "A pity, and I had so many of your failures to remind you of. Hey Zuzu! Do you remember that time father improved your face? I surely..."

"ENOUGH!"

"Temper, temper Zuzu."

"You will answer my questions now. Why did you set your room on fire?"

Zuko's voice was harsh and left no more room for play and Azula knew it.

"Well fine, take all the fun out of our reunion. But if you must know, I have no idea why I did that. Perhaps the decorations rubbed me the wrong way?"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose for what had to be the tenth time that day before he continued, "So you were not attempting to escape?"

Azula knew she shouldn't push him anymore, but she did a little anyways.

"Not that you'll believe me, but no. I was not trying to escape. You should know if I had tried to escape I would have done so."

"Maybe."

Azula's face darkened at the sound of her once-friend's interjection and she quietly asked Mai, "What do you mean by 'Maybe'?"

Mai's face remained impassive as she replied to the chained Princess, "Simply that you might not be as strong as you once were, Azula. Is it so hard to believe that you no longer have the...capacity to escape?"

Azula chuckled.

"Oh Mai! You always had a peculiar way of joking. If you thought I had lost a step or two why am I pinned to a wall? No my dear traitoress I am well enough to escape a place like this."

Azula gave her ex-friend an angelic smile before continuing, "Oh I had almost forgot! How rude of me, but I wish to extend my congratulations to you and my dear brother Zuzu in his marriage." She then turned her still smiling face towards Zuko. "It seems you are attempting to make an honest woman out of your harlot. Had I been around I would've warned you of that old saying about traitors that can never be trusted, but alas I was...detained. You understand of course, Zuzu? But don't worry, I plan on being there for the birth of my niece or nephew. Nothing will stop me."

The predatory smile on the Princess' face made sure that no one in the room could mistake her last comment as anything other than a threat, and none of them did. Zuko quickly rose from his cushion and charged Azula. When he had crossed the room he seized one of Azula's bandaged arms even as he slammed the prisoner against the wall by her throat and roared in her face.

"You will NOT threaten my family! I will see you rot in a tiny cage before I let you put a hand on anyone I love!"

Even as Zuko returned his sister's threat, Ty Lee had dashed from her spot on the wall halfway between the royals and her Princess and latched onto the Fire Lord's shoulders. The Royal Guards made to move from their positions on the wall before the Fire Lady waved them back to their places. Ty Lee then used her hold on Zuko's shoulders to leverage him to the ground. It wasn't a pretty move and Ty Lee silently promised to seek out Suki for a brush-up practice spar after all of this craziness settled down, but she managed to subdue the raging Fire Lord without the use of her chi-blocking. She doubted the guards would continue to listen to Mai if their Lord suddenly dropped to the floor unconscious.

Still pinning the Fire Lord to the ground, Ty Lee attempted to reason with him, "Zuko! Please! She's not going to do anything. There's no danger. You have to stop!"

At last the Fire Lord began to recollect himself and Ty Lee let him up. He dusted himself off and returned to his cushion just as Azula managed to regain enough breath to chuckle silently to herself.

Then Ty Lee strode confidently toward her shaking Princess as the laughter began to sound throughout the room. Ty put a soothing hand on her Princess' face and checked her for injuries as the shaking grew more pronounced. The place on the Princess' arm where her brother had gripped her was red with blood as the pressure had cracked the burned skin there, her throat was red and would most likely bruise, and there was a large knot on the back of her head where it had struck the solid wall behind her. However the most troubling thing Ty Lee found was the madness swirling in Azula's eyes and the breathless laughter that would not stop.

Ty Lee held the shaking girl as the laughter continued, whispering sweet words to attempt to relax her Princess. The Fire Lord looked ashamedly at his sister as he wrangled with the guilt of what he had just done. He should have remember how fragile his sister was, but she always knew how to stab him where is armor was weak. He had not felt such a rage in a long, long time, but the obvious threat to his future family had been too much for the Fire Lord.

Mai simply turned her eyes from the scene of her friend's little body clinging to her once-friend's shaking one. Mai was not easily overwhelmed, but this all was a bit much even for her. Looking around the room, Mai saw that it was even making her normally stoic guards visibly uneasy.

All of the sudden there was silence. Azula had finally stopped laughing, but even so Ty could still feel her shaking. Ty looked up towards Azula's face to see if she could figure out why her friend was still shaking and was shocked to see her Princess' fiery gold eyes glaring down at her.

The Princess' eyes burned with barely controlled rage as she demanded in a very low voice, "Let me go... Now."

Ty Lee instantly obeyed the order out of shock more than fear. She quickly backed away toward the Fire Lord and Lady until she felt herself being pulled down into the last unoccupied cushion. She never took her eyes off Azula.

Azula could feel all of their eyes on her. She could feel the fear dripping off their skin and she could smell the stench of sweat rolling off their brows. She had complete control of her audience now and she knew it. She reveled in the power even as their pathetic selves disgusted her. Even chained and half-crazed she was better than them, these liars and traitors and fools. They were all stupid enough to buy into their own story, but she was not. And she would let them know it.

The glare slowly dissipated as her audience looked on, but the sickly-sweet smile that now adorned her face had them all wishing it had not. The painfully alluring voice that poured from her mouth as she began to speak was too much, but they had no choice but to listen.

"Oh Zuko, my dear sweet brother, how you have grown in the year since I last really saw you. I had my doubts about you being fit to rule, but after that little...display I understand now. You get more like our Lord Father everyday. The only difference I now see is that he had no illusions to what he was. Yes, illusions." For a second Azula took her eyes away from her audience to stare into a place they could not follow, but then she quickly snapped them back to them. "I have apparently spent over a year of my life in their company and yet now that I am awake I see the real illusions are still here. Our dearest Ty Lee has spent the better part of the day filling me in on what has been happening in my absence. It seems you all believe yourselves to be heroes, good guys...right. Well let me tell you what I see. I see the illusions of decent human beings over the bodies of liars and traitors. I see through your little charade. You all betrayed your country, your family..." And here she stared directly at Ty Lee before she went on, "your loved ones. And for what? So that you could receive your happily ever afters, your spot in the history books as the good guys?" Azula's smile turned into a cheeky grin as she continued, "You disgust me. Did you know that? All of you. Each and every last one of you. I know why it is that you fear me, why you call me a monster, why you think me a liar. It's because I am real. In a world full of illusions I am the truth."

Only the sounds of Ty Lee's gentle sobs filled the room. Azula had said her piece and the rest of the room wasn't sure how to process it. Eventually Zuko stirred and with a pitying look in his eye he faced his sister.

"I am sorry for what I did here today, Azula. My anger has always been a weakness that you were ready to exploit." Here Zuko paused to sigh and run a hand through his bound hair. "You are all twisted up inside, Azula. I wish I could help you, but I don't know how."

The Fire Lord rose slowly from his cushion and straightened his back as if it the weight of the world rested there, and perhaps it did. Then he faced his sister again as he waved the guards toward her.

"There is a lot I have to think over, Azula. Our talk has been painful and...enlightening. I am ordering you returned to you cell until I can figure out what to do with you. I know you don't believe me, but I am honestly going to do the best I can for you."

A worn-down Azula was led from the room back to her cell as the Fire Lord and Lady gently led a still weeping Ty Lee back to the Palace.

* * *

A/N: So that's that. Really shoddy and very rushed. I am sorry, but at least I didn't leave on a cliff-hanger, right?

Anyways I hoped you enjoyed and please review if you feel like it. I always take them into consideration and they help me write.

Peace out!

-Whatevs15

P.S.

To the people who have reviewed, so far I just wanted to say thanks. You guys are awesome. And to N3phtys, I can assure you the outside action is picking way up :)


	11. Chapter 11: Painful Plans

Hey y'all sorry.

Standard Disclaimer

Enough waiting. Please read if you want.

* * *

Hard slaps echoed through darkening, elegant hallways as a pair of hard-soled boots pounded against black marble floors.

The guards stationed on either side of the elaborately decorated doorway looked at each other knowingly and shook their heads slightly at the sound of the fast approaching footsteps. They then hurriedly pulled their respective doors open and dropped their backs into well-practiced bows.

They both rightly concluded that the rapidly advancing boots' relentless disregard for the ungiving marble was a portent of their agitated leader. And while this Fire Lord was less likely to singe them than the last, it was still best to stay out of the way of a fuming Fire Lord.

The flustered Fire Lord rounded the corner just as the guards dipped their heads. He flew pass them and headed straight for the only slightly less ornate double doors to his bed chamber. He flung open the doors and they helplessly thudded against the tapestry covered walls as he threw himself into his silk covered bed.

The Fire Lady rounded the corner of the hall with the rest of the Royal Guard in tow. She internally sighed, but externally only instructed the guards to remain outside her quarters and to shut the doors behind her. She then purposely strode through the threshold and waited for the sound of the large doors gently closing behind her before she approached the bedroom doors that still lightly swung on their hinges. When she reached the doors she gingerly closed them with a soft click, and with a small sigh she turned to face her Lord.

"What in Agni's name do you think you are doing, Zuko?"

Zuko lie in a pile of silken sheets with his face underneath a rather large pillow.

"Not right now, Mai."

Mai rolled her eyes and approached the bed. She removed the pillow from her husband's face and tenderly lifted his head. She swiftly sat, placing his still-held head in her lap.

She began to softly stroke his face as she talked, "Zuko love, you need to knock this off. You aren't some spoiled child that can hide under his pillows to escape your problems and this situation isn't about to go away."

Zuko reached out a hand towards his wife's own and wove their fingers together. He felt Mai gently squeeze them as she continued to stroke his face with her free hand.

"I know, but I don't know what to do. Everything is so confusing right now. It's shameful, but I really just want to hide from this problem. What kind of man am I?"

"The kind of man that I love."

Mai leaned down to softly kiss the only man she had ever loved. She let herself get lost in the feeling of his slightly rougher lips against her own as he raised up to deepen the kiss.

After a minute or two they parted with smiles and Mia resumed her stroking.

"Thanks Mai."

"My pleasure my Lord. Are you ready to deal with this situation now, or would you rather throw another royal tantrum?"

Mai smirked as she heard Zuko mumble, "It wasn't a tantrum."

"Whatever you say, my Lord."

"Stop calling me that!"Zuko's frowning cheeks twitched up into a smile at the sound of his wife's husky chuckle, "Ok fine, perhaps it was a little bit like a tantrum. But can you honestly blame me? This is a mess."

Mai's laughter ended abruptly.

"I suppose it is a bit of a mess, but Zuko _think_. If you let her rattle you she's already won. Don't you see? You have all the power as long as you keep your head." Mai emphasized the word head with a solid smack to her husband's skull

Zuko grumbled back while rubbing his head, "Then why do I feel like she's in control?"

"Because you are letting her control you."

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut and growled back at his wife, "Mai, I really don't need your lecturing. I just need help."

"And how am I suppose to help, Zuko?" Mai hissed back at her husband.

"Surely you have some sort of solution already figured out. You were always better at these sorts of things than me and honestly I'm too...close to this problem to figure it out."

Mai suddenly rose, unceremoniously dumping Zuko's head back into the bed.

"_You_ are too close? I understand that she is your sister, Zuko, but she was my...friend. Don't you think this is difficult for me too?"

Understanding that he had made a mistake, Zuko quickly stood and embraced his wife.

"I'm sorry, Mai. I know how close you three use to be. It was stupid of me to suggest that this isn't hard for you too. I never meant it like that. You know me. I have a lead tongue."

"And a hot, insensitive head." Mai hissed through clinched teeth, not yet forgiving her husband.

Zuko chuckled.

"Told you you know me."

Mai's tiny smirk returned to her face and Zuko decided to try for some help again.

"I only asked for your help because you're better at seeing consequences than me and we both know it. Like you said earlier, we have to be careful after all."

Mai began to frown again.

"I suppose this problem does deserve a little more... diplomatic sensibility."

Still pondering the problem at hand, Mai gently broke Zuko's embrace and slowly wove her way to the opposite side of the room. With her back still facing her Lord she began quietly, "Zuko dear, how far are you willing to go to protect your people?"

"As far as I have to."

Mai impatiently waved off the automatic response with a flourish of her hand, and, still facing the opposing wall, she continued, "Think before you speak."

She spun on her heel and bored into her husbands eyes with her own.

"Are you willing to sacrifice your conscience? Because that's where this problem will end. This is your first real test as a leader, my Lord. A leader does whatever is necessary to protect his people whether or not he can secretly stomach his decision. He puts aside childish things like personal honor to make sure that his nation survives. Are you understanding me?"

Zuko's bewildered face gave away his answer before his mouth ever opened.

"Why are you saying these things? You-you sound like Father."

Mai gritted her teeth and braced herself. This was not one of the pretty lessons her beloved was use to learning. Life was much more complicated in peace than anyone gave it credit for.

"Zuko, look at me. Do I look like your father? Do I act like your father?

Zuko shook his head in the negative.

Mai strode quickly back across the room and gently stroked her husbands face. As Zuko's stony expression softened so too did Mai's voice.

"Zuko...My love. Please listen, because the future of our people rests on your ability to understand what I am telling you. Everything your father did was for his own glory and honor. He put himself before his people and he nearly destroyed the world for it. Now you and I both know that that man was evil and his idea of honor was evil, but is it that much better to put your own moral good before the good of your people?"

The Fire Lord opened and closed his mouth many times as if to argue with his wife. Then his body began to slump forward until all of his weight was pressed into Mai's waiting shoulder.

Mai was surprised to feel how heavy he suddenly felt. She could feel the weight of the world pressing against them both.

Still slumped into his Fire Lady, Zuko mumbled the only thing he could say at that point, "What is it that you want me to do, Mai?"

Mai gripped her husband's shoulders and softly pushed him back until he was an arms-length away. To help him relax, she slowly snaked her hands down his shoulders, over his arms, and to his rough hands. She took his hands in her own and half-lead, half-dragged Zuko to the edge of their bed. With a swift tug she had them both sitting on the bed, hands hanging between them like a suspension bridge of flesh over a sea of red silk.

"Zuko, I am...worried. I am worried that you still won't understand the things I am about to suggest to you. Please understand, my love. Azula..." Mai paused and tried to swallow the uncharacteristic lump in her throat before she pushed on, "Azula was...is my friend. She use to make life tolerable for me in the Academy. I wish I could just suggest that you simply set her free or exile her, but that would endanger our people. Zuko, there are only two options for Azula. Neither one will be easy to stomach...for either of us. Do you understand what I am saying Zuko?"

It was now Zuko's turn to do the comforting and so he gently squeezed his wife's hands and softly smiled at her.

"You are a wonderful wife and friend, Mai, and nothing you can say on this subject will make me think otherwise. However, I think I'm starting to understand. Your duty as the Fire Lady comes first, right? That's what you mean?"

Mai gave him a rare smile.

"Yes, my Lord, and that's why as my Fire Lord I am sad to say that you have to neglect your duty as an elder brother. There are only two options. You either have to have Azula executed or you must use her as a political puppet here in the palace. I know this goes against what you think is right, but it is the only way. She is too dangerous to do anything else."

"Why can't I just exile her?"

"It would be too easy for her to turn your enemies at home and abroad against you. The Fire Nation isn't stable enough for you to do that yet."

Zuko stood up and paced to better help himself think.

"What if I just left her in the facility?"

"She would either break out or kill herself eventually. If she dies in that place by her own hand she'll become a martyr for your enemies."

Zuko's face turned into a confused scowl before he asked, "Won't she become a martyr if I have her executed?"

Shaking her head, Mai replied, "Not if you hold a public and fair trial. Then there can be no whispers that you had her killed out of fear and spite. An execution makes you look strong, but her suicide would make you look weak and cowardly. Not to mention if she is going to die anyways you might as well use her death as a way to gain international negotiation power."

Zuko spun on his heel to silently gape at his wife.

Mai shrugged her shoulders and in response said, "I told you that you wouldn't like what I had to say, but those are the facts. I personally don't think either of us could live with having her killed so there's really only one option here, but it is only slightly less dangerous than exiling her."

Zuko scoffed at his wife and resumed pacing.

"Only slightly _less_ dangerous than exiling her? How is using Azula as a political puppet any less dangerous? It sounds pretty foolish to me."

Mai mindlessly slipped her hands inside her loose sleeves and stroked the cold steel of her blades as she thought of how she could explain her reasoning to her husband. After all he did raise very good questions.

"Normally Zuko I would agree that attempting to use Azula would only end in misery for us, but think about it. Her mind is still fragile and her body is out of practice so as long as we keep her under constant surveillance she, herself, will not be a large threat to us. The most troublesome thing we have to worry about is the support she would receive from the old-guard nobles. However, if we use her to further our own political goals, then that old-guard support will quickly dry up. We would just need to be extra vigilant for a time. And then there are the...benefits", Mai trailed off.

Zuko faced his wife with his good eye narrowed, "Benefits?"

Mai patted the bed next to her and Zuko obediently sat next to his wife.

Once seated Mai resumed in earnest, "Yes, benefits. Just imagine if we had Azula with us at the upcoming negotiations. We could use her as an intimidation factor...as long as we could keep her under control, of course."

Zuko raised his hand to play with the scraggy growth of hair he hoped would one day become a beard as he ponder this idea.

"She was always a shrewd politician. But I am a worried about one part of your plan."

"Yes?"

"How are we going to keep her under watch at all times? I mean guards will obviously be necessary, but what about in her private quarters? She might snap if she has to see a guard at all hours of the day and night. There's also the problem that too many guards on her might make us look scared and weak."

Mia allowed herself a tiny smirk. Her husband was starting to think more like a politician.

"Don't worry, Zuko. I have the perfect guard in mind."

Zuko looked puzzled.

"And who is this perfect guard?"

Mai's eyes sparkled with barely contained amusement as she answered her husband's question with some questions of her own, "Who can we assign to guard Azula that wouldn't make her panic, while at the same time giving a friend whom we desire a favor from a feeling of control over this situation?"

Zuko's eyes lit up with understanding.

"Ty Lee?"

"Ty Lee."

* * *

"Ty Lee," Azula's venomous voice spat the name out like an enraged cobra, "why did you come back? I thought I had made my feelings about you clear yesterday."

Ty Lee forced the memory of yesterday's rant out of her head and willed her lips to remain in a smile.

"Now 'Zula you should know by now that your temper doesn't scare me."

"Oh yah? Then why are _these_ here?" Azula shook the offending manacles at Ty Lee's nose to emphasis her words.

The steal manacles were not the only safety precautions readily noticeable. Azula's ankles were also bound and a metal collar around her alabaster skin was attached to a five-foot chain that was connected to the ground. The metal bindings were much better suited to Azula's new grimy cell than they would have been to her previous simple, but comfortable chamber. Whatever Azula's old chamber had had in the way of simple comforts was easily overshadowed by her new home's dungeon-esque qualities. Azula's simple red, cotton pants and shirt were the only protection against old stone and even colder steel, the only materials in the dank cell.

Ty Lee grimaced has she took in Azula's new surroundings and accessories, "Well, you did threaten Zuko's family. If you didn't want to be chained up you should have been nicer."

Azula snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Same old naive Ty Lee. Thank you for your helping in solving the mystery of my imprisonment. Is that the only reason you came, to shine wisdom on my poor muddle mind?"

Ty Lee giggled and then opened up the basket she had carried into the cell with her.

"You can be so silly sometimes, 'Zula!" Ty Lee said as she began to remove gauze, bandages, and jars of healing ointment out of her basket. "No, I came to redress your burns."

Again Azula shook the manacles on her wrist.

Ty Lee produced a key from the basket and replied to the simple gesture, "I've been given special permission to removed you wrist manacles and treat your wounds, but only if you behave. If not that grumpy old man who calls himself the head healer said that they are going to sedate you and do it. So are you going to let me do this, or are you going to let them sedate you?"

Azula ground her teeth. On the one hand, she hated being sedated. They had had to sedate her to get her into this tiny jail cell and it had felt like fighting a losing battle. Azula did not enjoy losing. On the other hand, if she let Ty Lee treat her, then she would be vulnerable to Ty Lee's dangerously traitorous touch. In the end Azula went with the lesser of the two evils and resignedly held out her captured wrists to her enemy-friend.

"Just do it quickly." Azula growled.

Ty Lee swiftly fit the key into the locks and released her Princess' hands. She then slowly and carefully began to cut and unwind the soiled bandages from Azula's arms. When she got her first glimpse at the damaged skin, she inhaled sharply.

"Oh 'Zula!This must hurt some much! I'm so sorry! I'll make it feel better in a few seconds."

Azula looked down at her red and inflamed hands as Ty Lee gently unwound the bandages. When the acrobat-turned-prison-nurse finally got to the area on Azula's arms where the manacles had rubbed and her brother had grabbed, all Azula could see was a mess of blood and puss. Azula looked up from her mangled wrists to see silent tears falling down Ty Lee's cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

Ty Lee continued to work as she answered, "I hate to see you hurt."

The answer was so simple, so child-like that for a moment Azula actually believed it. But then she took another look at her healer's features and remembered what a treacherous snake she was dealing with.

"You know, it's rather funny," Azula began in her honey-drenched voice, "but there was a time that I would have believed that. You had me fooled Ty Lee, more so than anyone else in this entire world as ever done. I suppose I should congratulate you, but you'll forgive me if I don't have the stomach for it at this moment."

Ty Lee winced as though it was her wound being redressed, and in many ways it was.

"I don't blame you for being angry with me 'Zula. I wasn't even upset when you locked me away. A part of me felt like I deserved it then just like a part of me feels like a deserve your mean words now."

Azula watched intently as Ty Lee applied the poultice and began to bandage her arms with a fresh cloth. She wasn't sure if Ty Lee had meant to pause to collect her thoughts, or if she was concentrating on almost...lovingly dressing Azula's wounds. Either way, Azula was sure Ty would finish.

With a final tender flourish of her hands, the acrobat was finished with the bandaging. Yet her hands lingered on the unwounded upper arm of her Princess as she finished her bit.

"You see 'Zula, I know I hurt you, and a part of me will never forgive myself for it. Cause I really do hate to see you hurt, whether you believe it or not."

Azula's breath hitched and her arms began to burn were she felt Ty Lee's strong, gentle fingers grasp her. She threw off the acrobat's light grip and scuttled to the far wall. Finally, with her back against the cold stone, Azula felt brave enough to retort.

"Well I don't believe you! How could I when all you have ever done has brought me pain? Leave me!"

Ty Lee let the tears flow freely down her face as she rose from her position on the floor. She mechanically picked up her supplies and the waste and stored them all in her basket. At last she reached for the manacles.

Looking sheepishly toward her princess with tears still rolling down her cheeks Ty Lee spoke in a cracked voice, "'Zula, I'm sorry but I have to put these back on."

Azula merely nodded her consent.

Ty Lee slowly converged on her one-time friend and lowered herself back down. A billion thoughts crossed her mind as she re-chained her Princess' wrists. A million words struggled to cross her lips as she dared to hug the fire bender's stiff body to her own. As she rose and knocked on the door to be let out, only one phrase managed to find its way to the Princess' ears.

"I will see you tomorrow."

And how Azula hated herself for looking forward to it.

* * *

Sorry again this took so long. A million very good excuses, none of wish I feel like posting.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed. The next chapter will not be 5 months in the waiting.

-Watevs15


	12. Chapter 12: Tea Parties and Threats

Hello everyone. Thanks for your patience. Here is chapter 12.

I do not own ATLA.

* * *

The palace gardens were ablaze.

Or so it seemed.

It was high summer in the Fire Nation and the fire lilies were in full bloom. The vivid red-petaled and golden-throated fire lilies dancing in the light breeze gave the semblance of flames shimmering in every flower bed. The fire lilies' signature scent of smokey cinnamon only added to the illusion.

Ty Lee walked through the Fire Nation's most spectacular, natural magic trick without so much as a wayward glance at her favorite flowers. She had been summoned to an afternoon tea with the Fire Lady.

There had been a time when the thought of a tea party in the royal gardens in the middle of fire lily season would have sent the acrobat racing and tumbling toward her friend, but that time had withered and died. And so the put-upon tumbler marched toward her appointment with the Fire Nation royal, eyes down and heart even lower.

Mai hid her hands in her sleeves and settled deeper into her cushion as she watched her one-time friend approach the gracious spread on the low table. Her lips pursed even tighter as she took in the slumped shoulders, downcast eyes, and wringing hands of her normally jovial companion. Apparently visiting Azula in the asylum had been taking its toll on the smaller woman. Perhaps this wasn't as good a plan as she had thought.

Ty Lee's eyes reached the table and she instinctively knelt. She heard an exasperated sigh even as she continued to study the grass.

"Of all the people who were going to treat me different because of my title I thought you would be the last to do so. Well if you are fool enough to kneel in front of a friend, then you are fool enough to get up without me instructing you to do so."

Ty Lee couldn't help but smile as she rose to take the cushion opposite the square table from Mai.

"Sorry, but Azula always said it was better to be respectful of power than to be burnt for insolence."

Mai raised an eyebrow, "Do you think I'd ever burn you?"

Ty Lee laughed, "Of course not, Mai! You're my friend!"

Mai let a small smile play on her lips. This was the Ty Lee she was use to: the bright-eyed, over-eager friend. The defeated and slumped Ty Lee was a different story, but it seemed that she was gone for now as Ty tore into one of the many biscuits on the table.

"Sho whaf bib you wamma chalk abu?" Ty Lee tried to get Mai's attention through a mouth-full of biscuit.

"You do know you are a noble and were taught table-manners, correct?" Mai's smirk negated the reproach in her words.

Ty Lee swallowed the biscuit in one gulp and wiped her mouth on the back of her Kyoshi warrior robe sleeve before she tried again.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

Mai poured three steaming mugs of tea. One for each herself, Ty, and a third for the tardy member of their party.

"We will have to wait for Suki before we start to really discuss the matter at hand, but since she is late I guess we could chat like the old friends we are."

Ty Lee laughed so hard that the hot tea she had begun to sip on poured out of her nose. Even after she managed to clean up the mess she continued to giggle to herself. Finally Mai couldn't take it anymore.

"What is so funny?"

Ty Lee wrapped her arms around her torso and tried to calm down enough to answer. Finally she managed to contain herself enough to look at the Fire Nation royal with a watery-smile, "It's just you are too adorably awkward when you try to 'chat'. I don't know how I managed to befriend two of the worst small-talkers in the Fire Nation."

Mai's eyebrows raised in genuine shock, "Are you suggesting that I am as bad at trivial talking as Azula was? Don't you remember that Chad guy from Ember Isle? She thought world domination was a proper flirtation topic."

"Yep, I remember that, but you seem to be forgetting about Lee."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

A rare burning blush on the Fire Lady's cheeks said otherwise.

Ty Lee took the lingering red blotches as an opportunity to embarrass her seldom abashed friend.

With a mischievous glint in her eye Ty poured herself another cup of tea and began to nonchalantly remind Mai of her most socially awkward moment, "Oh come on Mai! I know you remember Lee. Admiral Shizou's eldest son, wasn't he? Handsomest noble bachelor at the time Azula introduced you to him at court. Azula said you should stop mobbing over Zuko's banishment and get back in the dating game. She did always underestimate how hard it was to control your heart, but I think she was really worried about you, don't you think?"

Mai's blank face gave Ty no answer, so she took a sip of her tea and continued on her mission.

"Anyways, she cornered you two in the garden." Ty Lee paused and looked around herself before she continued, "Actually I think it might have been this exact garden. That looks like the tree you accidentally pinned poor Lee to."

"He was the one that asked if I had any hobbies." Mai growled.

Ty Lee chuckled and replied, "I don't think he was expecting you to say that you enjoyed throwing pointy objects at targets while blindfolded." Ty paused her chuckling to tap her chin and wonder aloud: "I can't quite remember how he ended up in front of that tree with you throwing knives at him though."

Mai was bristling by the time she answered Ty's implied question, "You suggested that I show him my skills and Azula said he wouldn't be much of a Fire Nation nobleman if he didn't volunteer to hold a target up for me."

"Hahahaha! That's right! Poor proud Lee! You know I heard that he goes around telling all the young ladies at court that he got that scar on his arm while saving a baby from a run-away komodo-rhino."

"He does no such thing...right?"

"My hand to Agni!"

Mai's incredulous scowl pushed the acrobat over the edge and she broke down into hysterical laughter. Mai's scowl turned into a small smile and, as Ty's laughter continued to shake her stout body, finally she too began to laugh.

Suki exited the stone archway and stepped into the garden a few minutes later. The sight that greeted her eyes when she reached the low tea table made her rub her eyes sleepily. She had to get some sleep soon because she was definitely hallucinating.

There at the table was an undignified Fire Lady laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face, and across from her was an acrobat rolling on the ground in hysterics.

With fists on cocked hips Suki addressed her giggling friends, "What's all this about?"

Surprisingly a struggling Ty Lee was the first to control the giggles enough to answer her captain.

She strove to raise herself back into a sitting position as Mai's body sagged into the table. When she had managed to reach the table, she stilled the giggles with a heavy exhale and faced her leader. With a politely serious smile on her face, Ty Lee got one word out before she collapsed onto the table in another fit of giggles, "Lee."

With a roar of laughter the Fire Lady fell back onto her cushion.

Suki's fists slipped from her hips to hang loosely along with her jaw. She expected this sort of behavior from Ty Lee. After all she was her most...energetic warrior, but Fire Lady Mai? She thought coaxing a smile from the normally placid women was a feat. Now here she was bowled-over in laughter by a single word from the acrobat. Suki shook her head. There was only one explanation for this: Ty Lee.

Finally Mai started to regain control over herself. It had been ages since the last time she had had a legitimate laughing fit. She had forgotten how good it was to lose control, but there were things to discuss. All good things had to end.

The Fire Lady sat up and adjusted her robes. With a small smile still playing on her lips she motioned with her hand for Suki to join them at the table.

"My apologies, Captain Suki. Ty Lee and I were just reliving some old memories."

Suki just smiled back at Mai and said, "Those must be some good memories."

"They are." Ty Lee affirmed her captain's assumption as she pulled herself back to the table.

"You'll have to tell me about them sometime."

"Well you see that tree over there..."

"I don't believe Suki meant right this moment Ty." Mai cut her friend off before she could embarrass the monarch. "Besides we have things to discuss now that all of us are here."

The acrobat just shrugged her shoulders and reached for her second biscuit. They had been flavored with rare cinnamon pepper flakes: a Fire Nation speciality and a favored flavor of Ty Lee's childhood. But there had been something about the first biscuit's taste that had the back of her head nagging at her. There was something more to the burning sensation than a mere childhood favorite flavor.

Ty Lee took a bite of the biscuit in her hand, while Suki and Mai exchanged pleasantries. The nagging voice suddenly became too clear as she bit into a whole flake. With shaking hand, the acrobat placed the remnants of the biscuit on the clinking china plate.

Both Suki and Mai noticed Ty's sudden change in demeanor.

Mai took one look at the acrobat's unnaturally pale face, downturned mouth, and hunched shoulders and decided that nothing would be gleaned in troubling the girl further.

Suki on the other hand couldn't help but to ask, "What's the matter Ty?"

A too-wide smile split the acrobat's face open as she answered her captain, "Nothing's the matter! I just bit into a really spicy flake. I suggest you stay away from those biscuits. You know what Fire Nation food does to you."

Suki looked at Mai who merely shrugged her shoulders. And so Suki continued to regale the Fire Lady with Sokka's latest cactus juice hijinks.

Ty Lee let out a quiet sigh of relief. They had bought her story. Ty wasn't sure what she would have done if Suki had pressed the issue. How was she suppose to tell two of her best friends in the whole world that Azula's lips tasted like cinnamon pepper flakes when they had kissed all those years ago? How could she describe to them the immense sadness she had felt when she had realized that she had forgotten the exact taste of her Princess' kisses? How could she explain to them her desire to run her tongue along Azula's lips to collect her almost painfully, spicy sweet flavor so she would never forget it again?

As Suki and Mai smiled lightly over their cups of tea, Ty Lee knew it was no use trying to explain her passionate feelings. Sometimes no matter how beautiful or numerous the words, they just can't quite cover the entirety a feeling. Besides Ty Lee was a small-talker, not an orator.

The acrobat rolled her neck back to keep it limber. When her eyes meet the cloudless sky she winced. The sun was a lot lower than she had thought it would be. The tea party had been a nice distraction, but if she was going to get back to Azula in time to share a supper with her she was going to need to leave soon.

She rolled her head back down to face her friends and with a slight clearing of her throat she addressed them, "So guys this has been real nice and all, but I have to be leaving soon. I figured there was a reason that Mai called us together because honestly the tea party thing isn't really your thing, you know? So I was wondering if we could get to it?"

Suki and Mai turned to look at the expectant acrobat. Something was up with the little tumbler and they both knew it.

Suki reached for Ty's hand as she asked again, "What's the matter Ty? It's not like you to pass up a chat in order to get down to business. Whatever it is you can tell us."

Ty squeezed her captain's hand gently and placed it back on the table before she answered, "It's really nothing, Suki. I just want to get back to Azula before supper is over."

"And how are the visits going?" Mai gauged her friend's reaction to her question over the rim of her teacup.

The fake smile Ty cracked was painfully obvious to Mai and Suki alike.

"Well it's only been a week..."

Clink!

The sharp sound of china against china interrupted the acrobat as the Fire Lady indelicately set her teacup back on its saucer.

"Forgive me, Ty, but are you saying that she's still cursing your ancestors for giving birth to such a traitor?"

Ty gulped air down her suddenly tight throat. She couldn't quite place why she felt that Mai was disappointed, but she knew that the Fire Lady definitely was.

"Well not everyday. Sometimes she seems to enjoy my company."

Suki looked from her nervous subordinate to her glowering friend and back again. She felt that she was missing something, and she would get to the bottom of what she assumed was another Fire Nation royal scheme eventually. However right now she needed to back her warrior.

"I'm sure she appreciates your company, Ty Lee."

Suki was rewarded with a genuine Ty Lee smile and a Mai glare for her efforts.

"What's the matter with you, Mai? Surely you couldn't dream to hope for anything better than what Ty Lee is already doing for Azula."

Mai put her hands into her voluminous sleeves and thoughtfully stroked her knives before replying, "Well they've always had such an...unique relationship I just assumed more progress would have been made by now."

"Progress?" Ty Lee's eyes were full of confusion.

Suki's eyes on the other hand were full of suspicion. "What's all this really about, Mai?"

Mai knew she had to play this right if she was going to get Suki on her side with this plan. The political side of Mai's brain knew it was a bad idea to make one person's decisions the focus of two plans, but there was no other practical way around it. The Fire Lady hated to play games with friends, but the potential future of her country rested on her friend's abilities to play along with her.

"Well this is actually what I had hoped to discuss with the two of you today. Zuko and I want very much to conditionally release Azula."

Ty Lee's heart jumped into her throat. "Release?"

"What are these...conditions?"

Mai's face remained passive even as she frowned inside her mind. It did not bode well that Suki had managed to latch onto the more important word even if the idea of releasing Azula under any terms was enough to make less politically astute people focus on that instead. Maybe Mai had bitten off more than she could chew.

"They are merely safety precautions to make sure that Azula doesn't hurt others or herself. Most of it is nit-picky political reassurances. Things that really don't need to bother you. However there is one condition that will especially affect both of you."

Suki's eyes narrowed into slits before she asked, "What is this special condition?"

"Well we can't leave Azula unsupervised. She's just too dangerous. However I think that keeping her under heavy guard at all times will exacerbate her condition. We want her to get better, not worse. So Zuko and I put our heads together and came up with a solution that we think all parties would agree to. If you could see it in your heart to spare her, then we would want Ty Lee to be Azula's personal guard. You can't deny that she is the best person for the job."

Suki pinched the bridge of her nose. She should have seen this one coming. She wasn't sure what exactly Mai was trying to pull, but she didn't like the idea of Ty being stuck with this duty. It was obvious that this week had taken its toll on the girl and it was Suki's job to protect her warriors, even from themselves.

"I don't think this is a good idea..." Suki began before a tiny voice cut her off.

"Please Suki."

Suki and Mai turned to look at the origins of that tiny, pleading voice. They had been so busy playing mind games that they had forgotten that Ty Lee was still there.

"Please Suki." Ty Lee repeated herself before explaining, "I've loved being a Kyoshi Warrior. This past year has been amazing. I couldn't ask for better friends than you and the other warriors. You all opened your homes to and shared your most sacred traditions with me. For all of this I will always be thankful, but I have to do this now. I wouldn't be a true Kyoshi Warrior if I let my friend suffer anyways. So I guess I'm asking if I could respectfully resign from the Kyoshi Warriors? Please Suki?"

"No."

Ty Lee's body collapsed in on itself.

"You can't quit the Kyoshi Warriors. You will always be our sister. However..." Suki paused until Ty looked up to see the smile playing on her lips, "I think maybe we can take you off the duty rooster. Feel free to do whatever you have to in order to help your friend. Just remember we are here any time you need us."

With a squeal, the understandably grateful acrobat had her arms wrapped around her amazing leader in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you, Suki! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Ty I think the good captain would like to breathe now." A slightly amused Mai pointed out.

Ty Lee abashedly released her captain and looked at her Fire Lady.

Once Suki got the breath back in her lungs she asked, "So when will Azula be released?"

"We were thinking a week's time would work."

"A week! Don't you think that's a bit soon?"

If Mai was being honest she thought it was a little rushed herself. But if Azula was going to become a useful political puppet in time for the Fire Colonies talk, then she would have to reintroduced to the court as soon as possible. This was all so dangerous, but if they didn't risk it they could lose everything.

"We've been in talks with her healers and they all agree that as long as she is under constant, careful supervision she should be fine. In fact, some of the healers think she might even heal quicker on the outside."

Ty Lee smiled to herself. In a week Azula would be out of that dingy cell and in the fresh air. After over a year in that...facility she would be free at last. It could be hard for the princess, but Ty Lee would make it as easy on her as possible. It was all too good to be true.

Ty Lee stood up while Suki and Mai continued to talk. She made a hasty bow to each of her friends and dashed away from the table with a hasty apology thrown over her shoulder, "Sorry guys, but I gotta go tell 'Zula the great news!"

For a second they watched their friend's figure rapidly disappear down a garden path, eyes wide with surprise.

Mai snapped out of her shock first and turned to her remaining friend, "More tea?"

Suki shook her head in the negative, "No, I have to get back to my girls and break the news of Ty Lee's extended leave of absence."

Mai shrugged and sipped her tea as Suki rose from the table.

Suki dropped a short bow, which Mai immediately waved off. She turned from the table and took a step before turning around to address the Fire Lady one last time before she left, "There is one thing I feel I should say before I go."

Mai looked up with interest in her eyes, "Yes?"

Suki narrowed her eyes at Mai and dropped her voice, "If you are playing some sort of game and Ty Lee gets hurt I will no longer trust you. And I don't ally with people I don't trust."

"Naturally, but I just want to assure you that I am not out to play games with Ty Lee. She is my friend.

Suki had no reason to doubt the Fire Lady so with a nod she left.

Mai finished off her tea as she watched the Kyoshi captain dissolve into the green scenery of the garden. When the Fire Lady's sharp eyes could no longer distinguish the green robes from the green bushes, she gently placed her teacup down on her saucer and lightly ran her finger along the petals of the painted fire lily motif.

She had definitely bitten off more than she could chew this time.

* * *

Thanks for reading everyone. I actually had a lot of free time this weekend (read: I put off another paper) so Chapter 13 should be up really soon. I really appreciate you guys and your comments even if it might seem like I don't write very often. Work and school get in the way of wants sometimes. Sorry.

-Watevs15


	13. Chapter 13: Delicious Decisions

Since you guys have been so patience with me I am posting 2 Chapters at once. Please enjoy!

I do not own ATLA

* * *

Azula glared at her bowl of white and grumbled aloud, "These quacks expect me to eat plain rice with my bare hands like the lowliest of peasants?"

To accentuate her displeasure the put-upon princess threw the offending bowl at her night nurse. Normally the Fire-bending prodigy's aim was never off, but, at the crucial moment in the throw, the manacles around Azula's wounded wrist pulled taut. The door to the Princess' cell flew open just in time for a hulking guard's face to catch the misfired bowl of rice. As the rice bowl slid off the guard's face to the stone floor, muffled giggles could be heard over the clatter of the shattering ceramic.

A seemingly unfazed Azula inspected what was left of her nails and simply stated, "You're late, Ty Lee."

The red-faced acrobat stepped around the still shocked guard and bowed to her princess.

"I'm sorry I'm late 'Zula, but I've got good news!"

"I would have preferred a good pair of chopsticks. Did you know this imbecile," Here the Princess gestured to the night nurse who was busily picking up the pieces of the shattered bowl before continuing, "took away my utensils. Something about the head quack around here revoking my privileges. The insolent fool acts as if to deny the desires of Fire Nation royalty wasn't a capital offense."

Ty Lee had learned long ago how to glean the important information from Azula's rants, while ignoring the nastier bits.

Ty Lee turned to the nurse who had just finished collecting up the pieces of the bowl and asked, "The head healer took away her utensils? Why?"

"Well the morning session ran a little long and so the healer decided to order lunch during some of the tests. Apparently at some point during the testing the patient threatened the head healer with a chopstick."

"Threatened?"

The nurse took a look at the patient's golden glare and beckoned the acrobat to come closer. When the acrobat was a foot away the nurse leaned up to whisper in Ty's ear, "The midday nurse told me that the Princess threatened to make the chopstick disappear...under his healer's robes."

"He was asking insolent questions."

The Princess' sharp ears had managed to decipher the nurse's whispers and she felt the need to defend herself. She didn't want Ty Lee thinking that she now went around threatening people with such...crass punishments. And yet she didn't want to share what exactly the healer had been asking her about all that day. The questions about her relationship with the girl that now stood in front of her was no one's business.

Ty Lee stifled a giggle before she turned back to the nurse to say, "Well I think I should be safe from the Princess' chopsticks, so if you could bring some and another bowl of rice I can take care of her for the rest of the night."

The night nurse was more than happy to oblige the noblewoman. The patient had been more surly than usual tonight and the nurse could use the break.

"I will bring them at once my Lady."

The acrobat beamed at the retreating nurse and replied with a simple: "Thanks!"

"I never did understand why you always insisted on thanking the help. Now come undo these manacles."

Ty Lee pulled the key that the guard had given her from her robe sleeve. She walked over to her princess and dropped to her powerful hunches in front of Azula's outstretched arms. The acrobat tenderly grasped the cold metal of the right cuff and unlocked it. She shifted to the left cuff and quickly released it as well. Once the manacles slid free from the Princess' wrists, the acrobat began to examine the bandaged forearms.

"Oh darn it!" Ty Lee cried out suddenly.

Azula immediately began searching the bandages on her arms for prominent signs of infection that could explain Ty's outburst. There hadn't been much pain. However, having been accustomed to infected wounds from the trips to the soldiers' wards in healer-institutions that her Lord Father used to take her on at a young age, Azula knew that sometimes the worst infections didn't actually hurt all that much. They did, however, tend to smell like putrid meat and she, with a cursory whiff, determined that the bandages smelled fresh.

Unable to find anything wrong, a frustrated Azula asked, "What in the name of Agni is wrong?"

"I left my healer's basket at the palace. I was just in such a hurry to get here."

Azula looked up from her bandaged arms and at Ty Lee in order to better berate her one-time friend. But, as soon as Azula's eyes met the little acrobat's downcast ones, the impossible happened: Azula curbed her fiery tongue.

Ty Lee noticed an intense shift in her companion. The stiffened shoulders, flexed fingers, and thinned lips of the Princess were all open to Ty Lee's experienced eye. She had seen these signs of unease in her leader often enough, but those smoldering molten eyes were something she'd only seen a few, special times.

"What's the matter, 'Zula?" The quiver in Ty Lee's voice and lip gave away her nervous excitement.

Azula made the mistake of continuing to look at Ty Lee's face.

Without the garish clown makeup it was too easy to see the acrobat's blood rise up her deceivingly delicate throat and pool like molten lava in her full cheeks. Her pink lips were slightly parted to expel her hot breath and her gray eyes crackled like lightning with nervous energy.

'Agni,' Azula thought, 'protect me from this weakness!'

But the God of Fire had no desire to quell the flames that had pooled in the Fire Princess' belly.

Azula's blood began to boil.

"What are you playing at, Ty?" The Princess' husky voice was dangerous with desperation.

Confusion was written all over the acrobat's wide-open face.

"W-what do you mean, 'Zula?"

Ty Lee's stuttering, innocent question only managed to incense the Princess further.

Ever since she had woken up in that hospital bed she had been asked question after question. From her mood to her personal relationships, she had been probed with blunt queries about things that she would never share. Today's interrogation had been particularly brusque. That pompous smirking healer had asked so many questions about her Ty Lee:

"Do you trust Lady Ty Lee?"

"Do you enjoy the Lady's company?"

"Why is the Lady so interested in your recovery?"

"What is the nature of your relationship with the Lady Ty Lee?"

She'd already asked herself these questions too many times to count. Did he think that he could answer these questions for her? Was he really that stupid?

She was tired of the healer's dull probing, and now this stuttering question from the only person in the world who must have the answers?

No more.

"No more? Azula are you ok?"

From the worried look on the acrobat's face the Princess could tell that she had spoken aloud. Oddly enough she didn't care that she had lost the control she most prized.

Lightning fast, the Princess' deadly hands lashed out and captured the acrobat's own hands in a vice grip.

"No more questions, Ty Lee. I. Want. Answers." She punctuated the last three words with crushing squeezes.

Ty bit down on a yelp of surprise and swallowed the discomfort of Azula's strong grasp. There was something dangerously unbalanced about the way the gold of the Princess' eyes swirled. And a burst of blood red streaks from the center of her aura told the acrobat that she needed to tread lightly for a bit.

"Azula, I don't understand what I am suppose to be answering. I am not playing at anything."

Azula disgusted threw the acrobat's hands out of her grasp and swiftly rose above the acrobat. Now towering above her Ty Lee, the Princess began to rain down venom on her subject.

"You're not playing at anything? Ha! All you do is play, but this time you've chosen a deadly game. I know this game. I am champion of this game. You think you can twist and manipulate _my_ emotions? _I _am the Manicured Manipulator, the Princess of Perfidy. I'm sure you've heard these titles used negatively, but I am proud to have earned them. But you, a foolish _acrobat_," Azula spat the word at Ty Lee, "think to best me at my own game?"

Ty Lee could feel the room heating up, even as the Princess waited for an answer.

"I don't understand. Please Azula, you're not making any sense. You're...you're scaring me."

There were tears in the acrobats eyes. In the back of Azula's mind that made her feel uncomfortable, but all the tears in the world couldn't put the fire in her heart out.

"Even now you won't give it up. Even now you won't admit your defeat. Don't you see? I've unmasked you. The game is over. You played a good game. That first kiss, the times when you would come to my tent in the Earth Kingdom, even now I could let myself be fooled into thinking you cared about me. I could fool myself into believing that I care about you, but I won't. I understand now. I finally have my answers."

The victorious Princess gloated down at the competitor at her feet. She had almost been bested, but now the girl would look up and she would see the loss in her eyes. She could write off all her uncomfortable...feelings to a surprisingly good player. She wouldn't even be mad, just so long as she could see the defeat written across the acrobat's face.

But when the acrobat finally looked up, the only thing the Princess saw was anger etched in every line of her face.

The acrobat slowly rose from her hunches, power radiating from the uncoiling muscles filled the room with an awesome force even as the heat from the Princess' anger fled. Ty Lee's limbs trembled with the suppressed rage of too many silent, smiling years. Her gray eyes were a tempest as she drew herself up to eye-level with the Princess.

The Princess took in the full force of that awful tempest. Those eyes, now boring into her own, reminded Azula of a terrible that had happened when she was little. She had made the mistake of seeking out her parents for protection. Even at the age of four she should have known better. Her Lord Father, infuriated by her weakness had dragged her out into the storm. When a bolt of lightning rent the tree beside them in half even her father seemed unsure about his power over the storm. Now Azula was unsure of her power over Ty Lee.

The acrobat stood, trembling before the Princess. She was too angry to say a word and Azula was too shocked to move.

Suddenly Ty Lee raised a trembling hand and reached out toward the Princess' face.

All Azula could think was, 'Oh Agni she's going to hit me.'

Before all this mess she had never thought that her sweet Ty would ever raise a hand to her, but then the Boiling Rock had taken away her trust. All that was left was the surety that Ty Lee was going to slap her.

She couldn't watch this. She couldn't see the look of justified hate on Ty's lovely face. She shut her eyes and braced herself for the inevitable hit that would scar her for life.

A calloused, but yet oddly soft hand cupped the Princess' cheek. In its own way it hurt more than the slap.

"Look at me." The order was sharp and hot with anger, but the hand remained so gentle.

The Princess opened her wet eyes. It was funny, but she hadn't remembered starting to cry.

When her eyes cleared enough for her to see the woman before her, the sight took her breath away.

The anger was still evident in the tautness of Ty Lee's muscles and the occasional flashing of her eyes, but there was a gentle smile that promised a break in the clouds.

A caress of Ty Lee's thumb wiped away some of Azula's traitorous tears and the remainder of her anger dissolved into slumped shoulders and tired lines around the acrobat's face.

"Why do you make it so difficult to love you?"

And there it was. There was her answer.

Like the ointment the war-healers used to salve on her open cuts, Ty Lee's words stung as they healed.

Yes, it was difficult, but this wonderful woman loved her.

Another shift on Ty Lee's expressive face.

Azula silently wondered if there was a more beautifully expressive face in the world as she took in these new signs: Parted lips, gentle and curious eyes, and a rush of blood to her cheeks. She wanted something, but she was nervous.

Ty Lee brought her other hand up to Azula's face and it clicked into place for the Princess. She wanted Azula.

But did Azula want her?

The acrobat leaned in closer and closer, a hair-breadth away now, and still Azula felt the uncustomary slither of indecision in her gut.

She ached to feel those lips on hers once more. All her heart wanted was to touch her Ty Lee. But her head echoed with her Lord Father's booming voice of repulsion. Could she given into a traitor? In between her warring head and heart, her gut rolled with anticipation and her body burned with desire. Would it really be so bad to trust her heart one last time?

Just when the Princess thought she might again lose her mind, there was a knock on the cell door and a click of lock tumblers falling into place. The nurse stepped in and the Princess stepped away. The decision would wait.

Ty Lee reluctantly looked away from Azula's rigid frame and toward the nurse who was prattling on about how she had gotten the last two bowls of rice from the kitchen. She'd apparently also noticed Ty Lee's lack of a healer's kit so she'd brought one. The acrobat swallowed her annoyance and thanked the thoughtful nurse. She didn't know that she had just interrupted a very special moment that was not likely to repeat itself.

The nurse for her part could feel the tense atmosphere stand the hairs on her arms up. She smiled back at Lady Ty Lee and said her good nights. She was very much excited to be getting home and away from whatever was going on between the Fire Nation Nobles.

Ty Lee waited for the door to lock closed behind the nurse before turning back to Azula. The Princess hadn't moved an inched.

With a good natured smile Ty Lee sat down and gestured for Azula to do the same. Azula gracefully folded herself onto the floor and held out her hands for bowl and chopstick. The items were placed in her hand and she began to eat.

They ate mechanically, each woman lost in her own thoughts. There were no words, which irked the acrobat and pleased the Princess. It seemed that whatever was going to occur between them, for better or for worse, would have pass away as a haunting what-if.

When they had finished eating, Ty Lee held up the healers' kit and Azula held up her bandaged arms.

Had the guard decided to stick his rather large head into the cell at that moment, it would have seemed to him that this task was also mechanical. Unwrap Bandages. Dispose of Bandages. Apply ointments. Wrap fresh bandages. All without talking. He would've missed the places where diligent fingers lingered too long on sensitive flesh to be all together dutiful. Doubtless he would've attested to the hitch in the Princess' breath as signs of pain, even when all she felt was pleasure at the acrobat's skill touch. He might've even attributed the sudden rising heat that showed as red flags on the young women's faces to Azula's annoyance at being fed white rice earlier. He would've never guessed the real cause of the heat.

When the last bandage was finally secured, Ty Lee did not let go of Azula's hands. There was...tricky information that she needed to pass to Azula. When Azula didn't thrust her hands away, Ty decided it was now or never.

"Do you remember how I said I had good news earlier?"

Azula smirked at the fresh memory of a flustered Ty Lee, "Of course."

Ty Lee nervously began to stroke the Princess' deadly fingers before she began again, "Well, it has to do with you getting out of here."

Azula snorted, "What? Has my dear brother decided that I should be well enough to rejoin civilization in ten years?"

Ty Lee shook her head with a nervous smile.

"Five?"

Again that happy little head shake.

"Surely not in a year?"

"No 'Zula. Zuko and Mai want to let you out on a conditional release in a week."

Azula vaguely felt Ty Lee lightly squeeze her hands as her head began to swim with questions.

A week? Conditions? Something was wrong here.

"What are these conditions?" A horrifying thought made Azula's stomach turn. "I won't let the Avatar take my bending!"

Ty Lee could see the fear in Azula's eyes. She pulled her into a tight hug, and quickly reassured her.

"No 'Zula! Aang would never even agree to that! No one is taking your bending. They simply want you to go to the healers whenever it is deemed necessary, and of course they want you under supervision. There are people who wouldn't mind hurting you. But you don't even need an annoying guard with you all the time. You see," And here Ty Lee paused to gain her courage before she took the plunge, "They want me to be your guard."

With those last words Azula's sharp political mind quickly dispelled the her unfounded fears. They were going to try to use her as a political pawn. This was obviously Mai's doing. Her brother wasn't brave or smart enough to try to use her as a political pawn. However, Mai was just smart enough and prideful enough to do something so stupid. Something was making the Fire Nation Royals jumpy enough to try this idiotic idea. Azula wondered if she could use it to her advantage.

Ty Lee pulled back from Azula so that she could see her reaction to the news. She had been too quiet so far and it made Ty Lee unease.

"Did you here me?"

Azula stopped her scheming long enough to take in Ty Lee's worried face. Suddenly whether or not she could use this to her advantage was no longer a question. It was already to her advantage to be in the real world with her Ty Lee.

"'Zula, did you Umph!"

The question on Ty Lee's lips was swiftly replaced by Azula's hungry lips. Ty Lee's eyes happily fluttered close at the delicious feeling of Azula's body on top of her own as the Princess' lunge had landed her on top of the acrobat. Azula's hands were like fire as they burned their way over Ty's robe. Ty Lee could actually feel the Princess smirk as she groaned her approval of those wandering hands.

A knock on the door sent Azula scurrying away from the acrobat. The dull thud of Ty Lee's frustrated fists against the stone floor echoed the unwelcome knock even as the guard opened the door.

"Visiting hours are over Lady Ty Lee."

The oblivious guard was caught off-guard when the normally kind Lady Ty Lee throw him a soul-shattering glare from her back.

"I will come soon."

Azula easily choked back the laughter that threatened to spill out of her mouth. It seems she had quite the effect on her little acrobat. Azula almost felt sorry for the brutish guard...almost.

"No Ty, you should leave now."

Ty Lee turned back to her Princess with a pout and whined, "But 'Zula..."

Azula tried on a soft smile for her acrobat and was rewarded with the brightest display of teeth she had ever seen.

"No buts Ty. You have to tell my brother and his concubine that I accept the terms of my conditional release. I've made up my mind."

It seemed to the Princess that the smile that Ty Lee now sported couldn't possibly get wider as she twirled into the air and sprinted off down the corridor shouting.

"I'll tell them at once, but I think I'll leave out the concubine bit."

The guard walked into the room sadly shaking his head. He hoped the crazy noble girl had remembered to leave the key with the manacle or else he was in big trouble. He grabbed the manacles that had been tossed to the side and sighed in relief at the sight of the key still stuck in the lock. He quickly turned to the prisoner, manacles in hand, and found the one-time-Princess sitting quietly with her hands out. He was happy to see that she wasn't going to give him any trouble tonight. He locked the manacles in place and put the key back on its leather loop on his belt. Finally he turned to walk out of the cell when a voice like poisoned honey made him shudder.

"Goodnight Guardsman. I do so hope that nothing...unfortunate happens on your watch."

The guard repressed another shudder and refused to turn around. He didn't need to see the prisoner to know that she wore her famous feral grin.

"Goodnight Princess."

With that he quickly fled the room and slammed the door behind himself, all the while praying to Agni that his watch would indeed be peaceful.

The Princess sat in the dark of her cell and stroked the cold manacles on her wrist.

'So,' the Princess thought to herself, 'I still have the old tricks. I wander if they'll be enough for me to take advantage of Mai's little miscalculation.'

Azula's grin grew wider as she silently chuckled at her own joke. Apparently it was Mai this time who didn't know people as well as she thought she did. The new Fire Lady never did fear her Princess enough. Vengeance would be sweet.

The picture of Ty Lee's brilliant smile interrupted Azula's plotting. There was something truly sweet.

The Princess' wide grin turned to a frown.

If she pursued her vengeance would she lose the sweet girl?

Azula felt the phantom pains of Ty Lee's knuckles pressing into her chi zones, and suddenly she felt limp and cold.

If she went after the traitorous Mai, then Ty Lee might turn on her again. It would be a repeat of Boiling Rock. As the phantom pain began to wear off, Azula doubted her sanity could take another Boiling Rock.

The besieged Princess made to press her hand to her suddenly aching skull when the jangle of her manacles resolved her headache and her troubles all in one. The Princess narrowed her eyes at the sound and made up her mind.

She had been imprisoned, her pride stripped away. That could not go unpunished. However if she played her cards right she could punish the traitors and keep her sweet Ty Lee. Everyone would get their just desserts.

Azula straightened her back and lightly placed her hands on her knees. She would have to wait until she had more information to formulate a plan.

A small smile played on the Princess' lips as she remembered what she had dared to do with them just moments before.

Soon she would have everything.

'I guess Father got one thing right. I was born lucky.'

* * *

Thanks guys! Please comment. Also I am sorry for typos, but I am very tired. Nap Time!

-Whatevs15


	14. Ch 14: Old Fears and New Clothes

Hello everyone,

I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I'm going to start working on Ch 15 right away.

Disclaimer:

I do not own ATLA.

* * *

Ty Lee stroked the blood red and brilliant gold dyed muslin material of her newly made guardswoman uniform. The blood red sleeveless top almost reached to the acrobat's belly button with a shimmering gold Fire Nation flame emblem displayed proudly on her chest. A stiff collar embroider with golden thread at its edges tickled the underside of the acrobats jaw as the air breezed over the small dip in her neck between her collar bones that the tiny v-neck left exposed.

She giggled at the tickling sensations.

Regaining her composure, the acrobat then smoothed her hands over the golden-colored, cinched waistband of her pants and smiled. The loose material billowed slightly around her powerful thighs until it came to the golden cuff right below her knee. The looseness of the material would allow her to preform her acrobatics with ease.

Ty let her hands fall to her side as she happily noted the lack of armor.

She was very pleased indeed that Mai had agreed to forgo the cumbersome hard leather breast plate, padded battle-skirt, and helmet. It was dangerous for the acrobat to be too weighed down or constricted.

However, the Fire Lady had insisted that the acrobat wear the red leather, gold-piped vambraces and shinguards. Ty Lee could not find a reason to deny her friend, and now that she had them on she had to admit they weren't the least bit restricting.

Finally she glanced down to where a pair of Fire nation boots should have been and smirked.

Mai had wanted to put her in a pair of those ridiculously clumsy guards' boots, but after considerable whining the acrobat had gotten her way. She was rather pleased with the golden acrobatic slippers that adorned her feet. After all, a year in her Kyoshi boots had been a year too long in Ty's opinion.

Ty Lee stared at the powerful, but beautiful young guardswoman in the mirror. She tried on a smile for her and was dismayed that the consuming nervousness shone through her clamped tight teeth.

"I preferred to see you in the Kyoshi uniform, but I must say Fire Nation colors suit you."

Ty Lee turned from the mirror with a goofy grin replacing her fake one and greeted the smirking captain and her boyfriend, "Suki! Sokka! It's so good to see you!"

The acrobat quickly danced across the room and grabbed them both in one of her infamously painful hugs. When she heard their grunts of protest she dropped them back to their feet.

Sokka wheezed the air back into his lungs and turned to his girlfriend, "Man you weren't kidding, Suk! That really hurts! What are you, part shrew-ox?"

Suki grabbed the meager excuse for whiskers on her boyfriend's chin until his mischievous blue eyes watered, and growled, "That's not a question you ask a Lady, Sokka."

Ty Lee giggled as Sokka uselessly blustered out apologies in between yelps of pain. Finally she took mercy on the kind-hearted Northern Tribesman.

"Oh Suki you know he didn't mean anything by it. Besides it was a Sokka-pliment."

"A what?" Suki gave her boyfriend's whiskers one last tug for emphasis as she turned her puzzled eyes on her friend and one-time recruit.

"Oh, you know how Sokka says something insulting when he means it as a compliment? Well I call it a Sokka-pliment."

Suki burst into laughter.

As Suki dissolved into a laughing fit, a still smarting Sokka rubbed his chin and turned to whisper to Ty Lee, "Thanks Ty."

"Well we clowns have to stick together, right?"

Suki recovered a moment too late to see the conspirators exchange winks.

"Well anyways, we just came by to see you off to your new duty."

Sokka enthusiastically nodded his head and added, "You know, kinda wish you luck and all that. I mean your gonna need it guarding that nutcase Oof!"

Sokka rubbed the back of his head where Suki had hit him and angrily grumbled, "What did I do this time?"

Suki merely nodded her head toward the suddenly downtrodden acrobat.

Ty Lee had turned back to mirror and was plucking at the itchy collar of her uniform. Maybe she'd try to talk Mai into letting her cut the Agni-cursed thing off.

Sokka winced as a discomforting feeling that had nothing to do with his smarting skull overcame him.

"I'm sorry Ty. I let my mouth run away from me again. She's your friend and it was wrong of me to call her that."

Ty Lee turned back to her friends with a tired smile fixed on her face.

"It's ok Sokka. You should just know that she's doing so much better now. If you could maybe try not to say that again I would be grateful."

Sokka gravely nodded his head, "Of course Ty."

Suki looked from the serious expression on the Water Tribesman's face to the pained one on her friend's. It was time to move the conversation along.

Suki took her boyfriend by the elbow and silently communicated with him. He nodded his agreement.

With his usual goofy smile reclaiming its rightful spot on his face, Sokka offered his free elbow to his friend and said, "Well milady I would be greatly honored if you would allow me to escort you to the courtyard. Zuko and Mai are waiting for us."

Ty Lee quizzically tilted her head to the side, but took the proffered arm.

The trio left the room and began to walk down the long hallways to the courtyard. About halfway to their destination Sokka began to chuckle under his breath.

Suki and Ty Lee looked at each other with raised eyebrows, and then, as one, turned to Sokka and asked, "What's so funny?"

Sokka jokingly wiggled his eyebrows and replied, "Two gorgeous women on my arms? I really am a ladies man! Ah-boom!"

Zuko and Mai both raised an eyebrow as the trio chuckled their way into the courtyard.

"Ambassador Sokka, Captain Suki, it is good to see you both, but my Lord and I were under the impression that Lady Ty Lee was to fulfill this duty without outside help. Were you seeking to help?"

Although Sokka's smile stayed in place, Ty Lee could feel the slightest stiffening of the muscles in his arm at Mai's cold welcome.

Sokka released Ty Lee's arm and, with his now free hand, gestured lazily at the assembled royal guards. "It looks like Ty Lee has more than enough help. Suki and I are only here to wish her luck on her first assignment. Besides, even friends know better than to mess in Fire Nation politics when they weren't asked to."

Zuko smirked at his witty friend and moved to greet him warmly with a warrior's handshake.

"I'm sorry for the somewhat cold greeting, Sokka. I am sure Suki told why we are here and what we are going to do?"

Sokka nodded in the affirmative, even as he let go of the Fire Lord's upper forearm.

"Well then I think you can understand why Mai is so uptight."

"I just thought that was her natural state?"

Mai rolled her eyes as the boys laughed, "How clever Ambassador." Mai let a small smile grace her face before she continued, "But in all seriousness I am sorry for being so...harsh. It's just a bit of a trying time for us. Perhaps we can set up a meeting for some reminiscing soon."

Suki gently smiled at Mai's awkward suggestion and took pity on the Fire Lady, "We would like that, but I think that Sokka and I should go see what Aang and Katara are up to now. I am sure you all want to be on your way."

The relief in the Fire Lady's voice was evident in her reply, "Thank you, Suki. We really do need to be on our way." Mai then turned her attention to the quiet acrobat. "Ty Lee there is mongoose dragon waiting for you. If you will ride at the front of the column with the Fire Lord and myself we will discuss some things on our way to the healers' clinic."

"Yes, Fire Lady Mai."

Before Ty Lee could walk away from her friends, a light touch on her shoulder had her spinning around to look back at her one-time captain.

"Ty, before you go, I wanted to give you this for luck. It has been...fun to have you around and the girls and I just wanted to make sure you'd have something to remind yourself of your sisters-in-arms."

Hanging from Suki's outstretched fist was a rough-hewn, malachite figurine of Kyoshi on a leather throng.

Ty Lee reverently took the gift from Suki and put it over her neck, under her uniform.

"It's just a gift we give to all retired warriors. It's said to protect its owner."

For once Ty Lee was too moved to speak. Instead she gently wrapped her old-leader into a soft hug.

"I think you should probably go get on that mongoose dragon now. Just remember, if you ever need anything, we have your back."

"Thank you, Suki."

With those words, the spry acrobatic relinquished her hold on her friend and ran to her ride.

Mai took in the misty eyes of her friend and in a low voice asked, "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

Ty Lee raised a hand to where the cool stone was pressed against the hot flesh of her chest and lightly fingered the lump through her uniform. A slight smile banished the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as the acrobat turned her face forward.

"I know, but I want to."

Zuko snuck a glance at the fearless profile of his wife's best friend and flicked his reins.

"Move out!"

* * *

"Repeat back your duties, Captain Ty Lee."

Ty repressed the urge to roll her eyes at her best friend. She knew that Mai was only trying to prepare her for her new role. After all, the outer gates to the healers' clinic were now within sight, but she wished her friend didn't feel the need to be so rigid at times like these.

"I am never suppose to let Princess Azula out of my sight. I am to have a written report about the Princess' behavior and actions ready for your Highnesses to read every fortnight. I am to be prepared to give a verbal report of Princess Azula's attitude at any given time. And I am to make sure that the Princess follows the guidelines that your Highnesses will give her tonight. Any broken guidelines are to be reported immediately to either Fire Lord Zuko or yourself, my Fire Lady." Ty Lee droned out the list of her duties with little feeling.

The Fire Lady had spent the better part of thirty minutes drilling this list into the new captain, and, from the look on her face, Mai was pleased that Ty Lee had been listening.

"Very good Captain Ty Lee."

"Ah hem..."

Mai turned in her saddle to look at her husband, "Yes, my Lord? Is there anything you wanted to add?"

Zuko took his gaze off the impressively high outer gates of the facility to better look at Ty Lee.

"Ty, I know you care for my sister very much. I care for my sister too, but I have to care about the Fire Nation first. All of this," Zuko gestured at the column of guards and the creaking, empty cage they surrounded as he continued to talk, "it is all so that I can take care of both my sister and the Fire Nation. I want her to get better, and I know you do to. That's the reason we chose you for this duty. If anyone can help her to get better and make sure she stays out of trouble it's you."

Ty Lee blushed at unspoken faith Zuko had to have in her to say such a thing. However, the color soon drained from Ty's face as Zuko continued.

"However, if she crosses a line; if she plots against the Fire Nation I know what I must do. I am just making sure you know what you would have to do. Could you put your country before your friend, Ty Lee?"

The odd little caravan of royalty, guards, and empty cage had left around dusk and taken the back roads so as to mitigate suspicion. And now in the coming gloom of the night, with the soft light of the setting sun emphasizing the hard lines that made up the Fire Lord's face, Ty Lee couldn't repress a sudden sense of foreboding from snaking up her neck and curling around her tongue.

"Yes, my Lord."

"I knew I could count on you, Ty."

The tone of the Fire Lord's voice gave Ty Lee the impression that he was smiling at her, but as the sun began to hide itself behind the outer gate all she could see of the Fire Lord was his aura.

She had noticed on that fateful day on boiling rock that Zuko's aura had begun to change from the mostly smokey gray swirl of doubt and confusion that he had grown up with into the bold and self-assured red with gold flecks that had dominated his aura since his coronation. However, now that Ty took a closer look at the aura of the Fire Lord she could see large blots of the smokey gray flittering back into the red and gold.

A healer could spot the ulcers of the stomach that were often caused by stress and fear, but Ty Lee could spot the ulcers of the spirit that ate away at Zuko's aura in ways just as telling. This reading gave Ty Lee all the information she needed to know.

Zuko was still a brave and good man, but his fear was starting to eat away at him.

As the gate to the health clinic slowly swung open, there was only one question on the newly minted captain's mind.

'What will happen to Zuko when all that's left is the fear?'

And as the strange caravan entered the courtyard of the facility and the gate swung closed, a more pressing question arose to replace Ty Lee's first question.

'What will happen to Azula?'

* * *

Well I hope you enjoyed that. Please feel free to review if you have the spare time. And as always thank you for reading.

Stayed tuned for Ch 15 where we finally get Azula's take on Zuko & Mai's little idea.

Peace!

-Whatevs15


	15. Ch 15: Gardens and Baths

Hey guys! I promised that we would get Azula's take on Zuko and Mai's plan in this chapter, but a lot of other stuff had to be taken care of first. I thought about extending this chapter even further to cover that, but I think that conversation deserves to be the beginning of next chapter. There are some good parts in this chapter that I hope make up for that though ;)

Speaking of which, **I am boosting the rating of this story up to Mature (M)**. I personally don't consider this chapter to constitute an M rating but there is a suggestive scene that I don't want people to get offended by. Honestly it's more PG than the makeout session, but the story will probably get more suggestive later on anyways.

OK so enough of that. Please enjoy! And if you want to review that would be amazing

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, I wish I owned Azula's room though...

* * *

Eeeerrreeeekkkk!

The rusty hinges of the cell door screeched their protest as the guard pushed them out of their customary closed position.

"Yah have company waitin' for yah, younin'. I got to take yah to the courtyard myself so please don't be givin' me any trouble now."

Azula relaxed her ramrod straight back at the sound of the gruff guard's rustic voice. She had been trying to meditate with little success and was quite frustrated at the moment. She looked the guard over before carefully choosing her words, "A wizened old goat like you hasn't been retired yet? Disgraceful. You should be back at your hut spooning in the latest pig slop you country bumpkins have decided to call food."

The old man chuckled and removed his helmet.

"I shoulda known yah'd be able to spot my old age behind this ole mask of a helmet. Was it the limp or my stiff back?"

The princess rolled her eyes but decided to humor the old guard. Besides, what else did she have to do?

"Well despite the fact that you called me a, how did you so eloquently phrase that again? Ah yes, a youngin', you also wear the non-curved-toe boots that were in fashion among the soldiers about thirty-five years ago." Azula sneered at the guard's unfashionable boots. "Those hideous things could have just been a reflection of your poor taste. However those boots in addition to your arthritic back and knee suggest that you have now been serving the Fire Nation for at least that long."

The guard scrutinized the Princess with rheumy gray eyes before saluting and bowing to the still sitting royal.

"There'd been rumors round here that yah'd finally come to your senses, my princess, but we weren't certain if they were true. Now hearin' that marvelous mind of yours at work again for myself, I am overjoyed that we've yet to lose such a great leader as yourself."

Azula's eyes sparked with pleasure. So there were still people who remember her worth? This information could be very useful if she were to ever escape this hellhole and regain her rightful crown.

Still basking in the guard's bow, Azula demanded, "Tell me, what is your name oh wizened one?"

"Captain Tozin of the 3rd division of the domestic guards. I'm in charge of this little building here."

"Ah yes, Captain Tozin, I remember you now. I worked with you on the preparations for the black sun. Good to see you managed to survive."

Still bowing from the waist down, Tozin lifted his head to give the princess a wry smile and replied, "I mightn't have much in the way of strength anymore, but I can still outfox the best of 'em." The smile then turned into a grimace. "I must say though that myself and quite a few others don't like to see yah chained up if yah catch my drift. Yah've still got friends with a bit of power if yah know where to look."

Behind the smirk, Azula was pleased with yet another stroke of good luck. If she was remembering this man correctly, and she knew she was, then the princess had at least one adept ally. And, from the sounds of it, the luck from her birth hadn't run out with Tozin. Azula might have more competent conspirators along with Tozin, and maybe these ones actually spoke proper Fire Nation.

"That's very good to know Captain Tozin, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves I think you should take me to my visitors. To disturb me at this hour, I'm thinking these visitors must be very important."

Azula stood carefully to allow Tozin a better angle to the lock on her throat.

Tozin straightened his back slowly and gave Azula another wolfish grin as he undid the cuff around her throat.

"Yah surely aren't mistaken there, Your Highness. It's the Fire Lord and Lady themselves with a whole lot of soldiers and a cage. I'd bet somethin' was up if I was a gamblin' man."

Azula returned Tozin's grin as she began to lead him to the courtyard. "Hmmm...And I would bet you are a gambling man...That is, I would if I was a gambling woman."

Tozin's grin got even bigger. "Nothing wrong with throwing the dice round a bit. It's not much of a gamble if yah know how to play, anyways."

* * *

When Azula appeared at the other end of the courtyard, Ty Lee's heart thudded to a stop.

The prisoner looked all the world like the princess she had once known. She was still chained, but with a feral grin on her lips and a swagger to her hips the manacles looked like nothing more than fancy baubles on her ankles and wrists. The guard that she was leading into the courtyard could just as easily been one of her royal body guards rather than her jailor. And, judging from the way that Zuko's own guards automatically bowed their heads when she glided by, Ty Lee wasn't the only one who had noticed the change.

Princess Azula was back.

"Azula," Zuko's voice rang out with an overabundance of authority once his little sister had finally reached the middle of the courtyard, "we have come to take you back to the palace tonight. Tomorrow an official trial will be held in my court where your fate shall be decided. If you come without a struggle now, then we might be able to work out a deal tonight. Resist and any hope of freedom will be gone. Do you understand?"

Azula never once took her eyes off her brother, nor did she lower herself into a bow. Instead, she braced her legs as far apart as the chains around her ankles would allow and squared up to her Fire Lord brother.

She would not be so easily cowed.

"And if I come with you, brother, will you throw me in the dungeon tonight to await this mockery of a trial? Is this dungeon, which I am suppose to willing go to, to be my home for the rest of eternity or only until you have my ashes scattered into the ocean?"

The thought of Azula rotting in a dungeon or...worse cut Ty to the core. She knew she should control herself and let Zuko do the talking, but she just couldn't help it.

"No, 'Zula! No one is here to hurt you. I wouldn't let them."

It was almost painful, the slowness with which Azula's face turned towards her one-time companion. When gold eyes finally found the acrobat, they restlessly roved over every inch of skin, every thread of cloth. Nostrils flared and eyes narrowed. The red and gold uniform told Azula everything she needed to know.

Ty Lee had sided with them.

"And why should I trust a badger-snake like you, Lady Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee swallowed the bitter venom of her Princess' words and returned them with her own soothing ones, "Because I am your friend."

"And because it is her duty to see to your safety, Azula."

Azula stayed facing Ty Lee, but her eyes whipped toward Mai.

"And just what do you mean by that, Fire Lady Mai?"

Mai shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Simply put, Captain Ty Lee has been tasked with keeping you safe. She will be the head of your guards should you choose to cooperate."

Upon hearing the explanation, Azula gave Ty Lee one last disdainful look-over before completely turning her back on the acrobat to face Mai.

Ty Lee bit back the tears that threatened to escape.

"You mean should I agree to whatever scheme you have going at the moment? Clever Mai, but then you were always the consummate politician. Now tell me the rest of what I am going to have to eventually agree to."

Mai smirked triumphantly.

"You are not going to be forced to do anything. There will always be options for you, Azula. You just might not like the...consequences. At any rate, there is no scheme, only a rather lenient proposal. However, the terms of the arrangement are better discussed back at the palace in private. Rest assured, should you willing come with us, you will be housed in your old rooms with Captain Ty Lee at your side to make sure nothing unfortunate befalls you."

The princess burst into a fit of laughter.

Disconcerted, Mai glanced at her husband and then turned back to her one-time friend, "Does something amuse you, Azula?"

The princess raised her chained hands to her face to wipe an imaginary tear from her eye.

The jangling chains didn't escape anyone's notice.

"Honestly, and you'll have to forgive me, Fire Lady Mai, you amuse me. You sit on your mongoose lizard with 25 royal guards surrounding you and your enemy in chains, talking about leaving a traitor with me for _my_ protection? It really is too much. I mean, everyone knows the only thing you are worried about is you and your dearest husband suffering an unfortunate end by my hands. Your efforts to try and save face are just too hilarious."

The laugher began again, wilder and more high-pitched than before.

"Enough!" Zuko's voice boomed over Azula's din and quickly silenced the princess.

"Sorry Zuzu. I know it's bad taste to laugh at one's own joke, but I've been locked away from civilization for so long I've forgotten the finer parts of etiquette."

Fire Lord Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose before addressing his sister once more, "Enough of your games, Azula. Are you going to get into that cage or are we going to have to _put_ you in that cage?"

Azula looked past her brother at the large box of thick steel on wheels. It was rather imposing, but Azula was not intimidated.

"Very well brother. Have your lackeys prepare my steel palanquin."

She carefully rearranged her prisoners' rags and rattling chains, while the royal guards unlocked and opened the door to cage. Then, with back stiff and head high, Princess Azula strode toward her ride.

When a guard reached out to grab her shoulder, Azula shrugged him off and turned toward her brother.

"If you don't mind, Lord Brother mine, I am perfectly capable of escorting myself to my own cage."

Zuko stiffly nodded and the guard backed away.

Azula resumed her march to the far end of the courtyard where her cage awaited. Finally the princess stood in her steel box.

"Captain Ty Lee," Mai's voice rang out. "secure the cage and we will be on our way."

Ty Lee slumped in her saddle, before slouching off her mongoose lizard. Shoulders sagging, she approached the cage with hesitant steps. When at last she stood opposite of the princess, one of the guards handed her the key. She reached for the door, but before she could shut it Azula's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Fire Nation colors suit you, Captain Ty Lee. But I must admit I preferred you in pink. It made you different than the others. Now..." The words caught in the Azula's throat. "You're just like them."

Ty Lee had expected anger and hate, but the disappointment and sadness that spilled so freely from her princess' tongue were far more disturbing. She didn't know what she had done wrong, all she knew was that she was sorry for having done it.

Azula gracefully gathered up her chains and dropped into her cross-legged meditation pose. Closing her eyes, she gave one last command.

"Close the door, Captain Ty Lee."

Ty Lee obeyed.

* * *

The royal gardens looked more beautiful than ever. The fire lilies were in full bloom and their perform hung heavy all around the cherry trees, almost enticing the green buds to open too soon. The turtle ducks swam peacefully in the crystal clear pond. Below them swam the prized coy fish, happy and fat in their tiny dominion. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and something was off.

Azula sat in the middle of all this beautiful splendor and fumed.

"Oh Lu Ten," Azula icily sing-songed to the seemingly empty garden. "I know this is your damned idea of a joke so get out here before I burn it all, dearest cousin mine."

Lu Ten strode out from behind a cherry tree with a fire lily in hand and a smile on his face.

"Oh hello there cousin. Isn't it glorious here?"

Azula dropped the sing-song voice in favor for a delicately hateful hiss as she spoke, "Cut the chit-chat, cousin. I haven't been able to meditate since before little Zuzu managed to evade me on that Agni forsaken rock, and now that I finally manage it I find you and your stupid garden instead of my center. What are you up to? And make your explanation short and sweet because I have about five minutes before Zuzu hauls me out of the accursed cage and tosses me into the dungeon."

Lu Ten leisurely strolled to where Azula, in all her indignant fury, still sat. He causally sat down across from his fuming cousin, put the flower in his hand to his nose, and happily inhaled the rich sent of the fire lily before finally replying, "Oh don't worry about Zuzu. Time moves differently in the in-between. Sometimes it moves slower, sometimes it moves faster. You get the hang of it after you've been here for awhile, but only if your mind is intact." He looked up to watch his cousin flinch. "I'd say we have at least two days before your little cage makes it to the palace. Now we can use the full two days or I can help you get out of here in about ten minutes if you promise to behave and not burn my garden."

Azula gripped the fabric around her knees and noticed for the first time that her chains were gone and she was in her royal robes. She breathed in a calming breath and exhaled all her irritation away. After all, it wasn't like she had a choice.

"Very well, Lu Ten. You obviously have a reason for bringing me here so let's get on with it."

Lu Ten stretched out his legs and leaned back into his free hand, while taking another drag of the fire lily.

"You know, I didn't really get to see much of you in life, cousin. But I do have this one memory. I was on leave, relaxing in the garden. There was no one around until these three little girls came bounding into the garden. The two youngest, who couldn't have been more than five, pounced into one of the flower beds. They were both having fun until one of the nurse-maids found them and scolded them. One of the girls who had been in the flower bed started crying so the other flower-bed-girl ordered the nurse-maid away. Even then the little girl didn't stop crying. I was about to go see if I could help, when the very same girl who had stood up to an adult for her friend gave the crying girl a fire lily. The crying stopped and the three girls bounded right back out of the garden." Lu Ten sighed. "And I finally got some rest."

Azula had forgotten about that day, and now the memory stung worse than a mosquito-hornet.

"Tell me, Azula, is her favorite flower still fire lilies?"

Azula replied through clenched teeth, "Is there a point to this or are you just here to annoy me to death with your horribly told stories?"

Lu Ten tossed the fire lily at Azula before answering, "The point is simply that you've always had a soft spot for Ty Lee. Embrace that now or you will end up crazy or dead or both. You are about to step into a mosquito-hornets' nest and that little girl you gave a flower to in a different life is your only true ally."

Azula leapt to her feet and yelled down at her cousin, "That girl is dead. All that's left of her is a traitor in her skin." Azula's voice lowered and was consumed by a bitter sadness. "She's sided with them, Lu Ten. I have no one left."

Lu Ten rose and gently placed his hands on his cousin's shoulders. She shrugged him off but he continued anyways.

With a gentle voice he pleaded with her to understand, "Azula, not everything is as it seems. You of all people should understand that. Besides you always have me."

"Perfect, a dead cousin and a traitorous friend. Should I just offer to light myself on fire to save Zuzu the trouble?" Despite herself, Azula smirked at the thought.

Lu Ten chuckled and stepped back from his prickly cousin.

"Just remember not everything is as it seems and I think you'll find your brother doesn't want to hurt you as much as you think he does. Now would you like to go back to your cage?"

Azula smirked again and sarcastically replied, "More than anything."

Lu Ten rubbed his hands together, "Good! So let's get down to basics. You should be able to meditate normally now, but if you ever need to get back to the in-between meditate on me. That should do it. To leave, you either have to meditate your way out or have someone or something jolt you to your senses on the other side. Not too hard for the great prodigy, right?"

Azula rolled her eyes and dropped into her meditation position.

"Go away now, Lu Ten."

Azula heard her cousin's chuckling grow quieter and quieter. Soon it was replaced by the sound of metal wheels on stone.

Azula smirked.

She was back in her cage.

The caged fire-bender didn't have long to enjoy her strange triumph, as the steel box stuttered to a stop. There was a click as someone insert the key and turned the tumblers of the lock. And with a whoosh of fresh air, the princess got her first glimpse of her palace.

Azula stepped out into the inner courtyard and took in everything she could see in the dim torchlight. Soon it would all be hers again if she played her cards right.

'Let the games begin.'

"Captain Ty Lee, see to it that your charge is taken to her quarters and allowed to change into something a little more suitable. Make sure she is fed and then bring her to our chambers. We have a lot to discuss before the trial tomorrow."

Ty Lee struck her palm with her fist. "Yes, Fire Lady Mai."

The Fire Lord and Lady turned from their chained guest and walked into the palace. When they had left the courtyard Ty Lee turned to her charge and smiled.

"Hey 'Zula, let's head up to your rooms. Won't it be nice to get out of those ratty rags?"

The fire-bender untangled herself from her chains and gracefully rose to her feet. Stepping out of the cage, the Fire Princess narrowed her eyes at the captain of her guards.

"Captain Ty Lee, might I ask if I am still considered the Fire Princess?"

Ty Lee was taken aback by the seemingly random question and the dangerously sweet edge to Azula's voice.

"Ummmm...I don't think Zuko took away your title. Why do you ask, 'Zula?"

Azula brushed pass Ty Lee's shoulders and, with back to the little gymnast, answered, "Well I was just curious as to why you had decided it was appropriate to speak to me in such a familiar way, Captain Ty Lee. I will forgive this disrespectful slip just this once, but from now on you will only refer to me as Princess Azula. Do you understand me, Captain?"

Ty Lee gaped at her old-friend's stiff back. 'Zula had always allowed her improper concessions when addressing the princess. It shocked the acrobat how hurtful something so little could be.

"As you wish, Princess Azula."

Azula relished in the defeat evident in the captain's voice. She couldn't help but smirk as she order, "Very good. Now lead me to my quarters."

The walk to Azula's old rooms was completed in absolute silence. Azula stared straight ahead, while Ty Lee stared a hole in the marble floors as she marched ahead of the fire-bender. Finally they reached the beautiful teak double doors that marked the entrance of the Fire Princess' quarters. Azula waited impatiently as Ty Lee slowly pulled them open to reveal an immaculately clean and extravagantly furnished sitting room complete with elegantly carved teak low table, embroidered silk cushions, and tightly woven tapestries.

While Azula basked in the relief of finally returning to her rightful place, Ty Lee quickly produced a key and unlocked the princess' shackles. After she had discarded the chains in the corner, she quickly moved away from the fire-bender. Ty Lee blended into the blood red walls as she moved around the sitting area towards the teak door opposite the entrance. She quickly pulled the door open and dropped into a swift bow.

"If you would please enter into your bedroom, Your Highness. The palace servants have been informed of your arrival and there is a bath and clean robes waiting for you, Princess Azula." The stilted words labored their way out of Ty Lee's mouth.

Azula cooly swept pass a still bowing Ty Lee and replied with back still facing the little acrobat, "Very good, Captain Ty Lee. Close the door and wait in the sitting room until I come for you."

"Ummm...excuse me Your Highness, but I can't do that."

Azula whipped around indignantly ready to snap at the foolish acrobat for daring to deny her orders, but when her eyes took in the sight of the rebellious girl a peculiar blush had spread across her face. Curious, Azula decided to let Ty explain.

"Well you see, it's just that...Well what I mean is...Mai told me I couldn't let you out of my sight. She specifically ordered that you never be left alone...even in the bath, Fire Princess Azula."

The blush spread to Azula.

"That is preposterous. What could I possibly do in a bath? I will not be treated like a rabbit-dog on bathing day!"

"Well the healers warned Zuko and Mai that you shouldn't be left alone for your own health." Ty Lee looked at her slippers and softly continued, "They were worried that you could relapse and end up hurt. They said you were in a delicate state."

Azula scoffed. The head healer would have to pay for this latest indignity.

"Do I look delicate to you, Captain Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee raised her eyes from her feet to see the bony frame, unkempt hair, and ratty clothes of her princess.

"Of course not," Ty Lee lied. "But look, Princess Azula, the healers think it's for the best and Mai told me to, so can we just get it over with? I mean we use to bathe together when we were younger."

The Fire Princess' eyes narrowed.

"That was before I realized what a traitorous badger-snake you were."

Ty Lee gulped down the lump in her throat and softly pleaded, "Please, 'Zula."

The princess hissed, "Do not call me that. You lost the right to talk to me like that."

Azula strolled by the visibly hurt acrobat into her lavish bedroom. She didn't pause to admire the silken four-poster bed she would get to sleep in tonight. Instead she stalked to the last teak door in her quarters in the back left corner and nearly ripped it off its hinges as she stormed into her bathroom. She tore off her filthy prisoner clothes and incinerated them in an instant. She then quickly marched into the welcoming embrace of the ornately carved obsidian-lined bath recessed into the floor. The steaming water and soapy suds immediately improve the fiery princess' mood, and she smirked.

If she couldn't get rid of the venomous badger-snake in her midst she might as well play with it. After all, a subordinate had to know her place and what faster way to train her than to torture her?

"Enter if you must, Captain Ty Lee." The Princess practically crooned to the nervously pacing guard in her room.

Ty Lee shuffled into the bathroom with eyes down and a blush across her entire visage.

Azula positioned herself for the best effect for whenever her reluctant audience would choose to look up. The princess rolled her eyes internally as the guard's eyes remained glued on the marble tiles. This would be no fun if the other girl didn't fall into her trap. Azula needed to torture her one-time friend.

"As you can see, Captain, I am perfectly fine."

That got the suddenly skittish captain to look up at her princess.

At the first sight of Azula's smooth skin shimmering above the steaming water, Ty Lee's jaw came unhinged. The captain's eyes hungrily roved all over the princess' perfectly silky skin. She took in the slight swell of the fire-bender's breasts visible above the scolding hot water, the perfectly sculpted shoulders, and gracefully curving neck up to the princess' slightly parted, full lips and her half-lidded golden eyes. The acrobat gulped down the sudden knot in her throat even as the smirk that took over the princess' gorgeous face made her breath catch again.

"Yes, perfect...I mean perfectly fine, perfectly fine." The acrobat managed to squeak out her reply to an almost forgotten question.

Azula threw back her head as a full-throated, husky chuckle overtook her.

Azula was strangely giddy. The trick was working out marvelously. Apparently the lustful aspect of their past relationship had been the only real thing between them, Azula thought. At least that's what the lightning bolts of desire that were dancing in her companion-enemy's eyes were telling her. Azula wrote off the warmth that was currently enveloping her whole body as a mixture of the anticipation to torture the little acrobat and the hot water. She would never admit to herself that Ty wasn't the only one caught in a haze of desire.

Azula lowered her head back to shoot Ty Lee with a smoldering look.

The acrobat shudder even as heat flooded her body.

Azula crooked a finger at the acrobat, and Ty Lee quickly moved closer.

When the acrobat had dropped to her knees at her princess' side, Azula reached up to stroke Ty Lee's burning cheek.

"You know, Captain Ty Lee, I was thinking of what you said earlier about us bathing together in the past. Do you remember that?" Azula waited until she felt the girl's cheek bob up and down against her fingertips in the affirmative. "Well, I do need some help scrubbing off all the filth on my back and I seem to remember you were always quite good at it. Won't you join me, Captain Ty Lee? I could always use your talented hands."

Ty Lee pushed up to her feet and away from her princess' touch. Her face already missed the soft caress of Azula's hand, but she couldn't do this.

The acrobat chewed on her lip as she warred with herself. On the one hand, Ty had been dreaming of this for far longer than she wanted to admit. She wanted to be with her princess. She wanted to assure Azula of her loyalty and affections and since words weren't her thing perhaps this action could say all she needed to say. She needed Azula to know how much she truly cared for her. On the other hand, however, this was all wrong. The acrobat had just been reunited with her princess, and it hadn't been a happy reunion. Something felt wrong about doing this now. What if Azula wasn't in her right mind? What if she ruined any chance of a reconciliation by rushing into the bath? Normally a happy-go-lucky kind of girl, the stakes were just too high right now. It was just too soon.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Princess Azula."

Azula heard the uncertainty in the acrobat's voice and saw the flashes of conflict swimming in her gray eyes. She had the guard off balance, now it was time to go in for the kill.

"Please Ty? I need you." Azula pleaded with her one-time friend.

Ty Lee couldn't believe her ears. Had she heard that right?

Even as Ty Lee's mind tried to comprehend what it had just heard, her body was more than happy to oblige her princess. She quickly stripped and slipped into the water. She began to scrub Azula's back with a nearby rag, slowly. Ty Lee could feel the princess shudder at her touch and the acrobat shivered in return.

Azula closed her eyes to savor in her eventual victory. Any second now she would rip the acrobat apart. Any second now she would turn around, kiss the girl and dismiss her like a lowly servant. She would remember that she was nothing more than a plaything for the great and powerful Princess Azula! Any second now...

But as the seconds dragged on and Azula relaxed further into Ty Lee's touch, a nagging voice that sounded like her Lord Father scoffed at her. It laughed at Azula, the silly girl who was too weak to hurt her enemy.

'Well perhaps enemy was too strong a word,' a tiny voice suspiciously like Lu Ten's battled back. 'Perhaps there was room to forgive and move on. Perhaps the reason she didn't want to torture the acrobat was because she never wanted to rip out her heart after all. Perhaps Ty Lee hadn't wanted to either."

The perhaps were killing Azula. She needed more information before declaring perhaps her only ally her enemy. And perhaps a perhaps was enough at the moment.

Azula sighed and held her hand out behind her for the rag.

"That's enough, Ty. I think you should let me get dressed so I can meet with Zuzu and Mai."

Ty Lee's frustrated body yelled out for her to protest, but her heart nearly melted when she heard Azula call her by her pet name again. In the end Ty handed Azula the rag and left the bath with a contented smile on her face.

Azula quickly followed Ty Lee out of the bath and both girls quickly and quietly dried off and dressed; Ty Lee in her guardswoman uniform and Azula in her now oversized royal robes.

Azula then sat at her vanity and stroked the box containing her crown. She tenderly lifted the lid and brushed her fingertips against the cold metal.

Ty Lee watched the exchange with a cautious smile on her face. After a minute or two of Azula just gazing at the crown, Ty Lee stepped behind the sitting royal and asked, "Do you want me to put the crown on you, Your Highness?"

Azula merely handed an ivory comb to the captain and sat still as Ty Lee did up her traditional topknot. Azula then carefully handed Ty Lee her crown and the acrobat gingerly, reverently placed the crown in its rightful place. Ty Lee stepped back to let Azula admire herself in the mirror.

Azula, for her part, took in the sight of her crown on top of her head and smirked. As her eyes traveled downwards, the smirk became a grimace as the fire-bender took in the sight of a healer's prisoner in a princess' clothes. She would have much preferred to don her armor instead of the baggy and too-short robes that now adorned her weakened form. She was going into battle a specter of her former self and she despised that.

'Not nearly what I was, but more than enough to take on dearest Zuzu and his concubine I suppose.'

And just like that the smirk was back.

"Let's go, Ty. We mustn't keep our betters waiting."

Azula swept up from her vanity, out her rooms, and down the halls toward to the Fire Lord's suite. She was Princess Azula and she had wrongs to right.

Ty Lee swiftly followed in her princess' wake, happily if not confusedly bobbing down the corridor.

* * *

Well I hope y'all enjoyed that! Hopefully nothing too terribly risqué for you guys.

Anyways, Reviews are always welcomed.

Next time we really will see Azula's take on Zuzu and Mai's plan...PROMISE!

-Watevs15


	16. Ch 16: Conditional Belief

Hey everyone!

Sorry this took so long. I just finished my undergraduate studies and moved to a new city. I wish I could say updates will be happening at a more rapid pace, but with Grad work and work-work soon to commence that would probably be a lie.

I thank you for your continued patiences and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

Feel free to leave a review as they always help.

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA.

* * *

Tap. Tap. Tap...

"Zuko! Stop that insistent tapping right now."

Zuko scowled at his wife, but removed his fidgeting fingers from the table.

The Fire Royals had been seated in the private sitting room of their chambers for a little over half an hour and Fire Lord Zuko's twitchy behavior had begun to wear on his wife's limited patience. After only a few minutes of silence Zuko was back to impatiently tapping his fingers on the table again.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"For Agni's sake Zuko! If you do not stop tapping right this instant you will soon find one of my knives in a rather uncomfortable place!"

Zuko slammed his hand on the table.

"Where in the spirit world is Azula?! And how can you just sit there doing nothing?!"

Mai pinched the bridge of her nose and calmed herself before she replied, "My Lord, I know as much as you and I am not doing nothing as you say. I am preparing myself for a potentially exhausting talk with your psychotic sister."

Zuko sighed, but removed his hand from the table. The couple relapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

"Mai?"

The Fire Lady made a concerted effort to hold back her irritated sigh, "Yes, Zuko?"

"What if Azula doesn't agree to our terms?"

Mai glanced over at her husbands hunched over form and took in his worried eyes and fisted hands before answering, "You don't have to worry, love. She will."

"How do you know that?" Zuko's voice pleaded with his wife for a more substantial answer.

"She's too smart not to. She knows this is her best chance at freedom."

"You just called her psychotic, so what makes you so certain that she still has the mental capacity to realize that?"

Mai grimaced.

"You know I didn't mean that. Besides she seems in control of herself enough to make the right decision."

Zuko looked doubtful.

"I don't know. Did you see the way she was treating Ty Lee? I've never known her to be so all over the place when it came to her. She always had a soft spot for the girl, but today...That glare froze my blood and it wasn't even directed at me. I had thought she already accepted the condition that Ty Lee was going to be her personal guard. That doesn't exactly bode well for her mental stability."

Mai fingered the cold steel of knives. She wasn't exactly sure what to say to Zuko. He had noticed the inconsistencies in Azula's actions and behavior toward the one person who she had always treated consistently better than everyone else in the past as well. It was a very troubling fact that Mai did not have a concrete answer to.

"I noticed that as well. I think it might have had to do with Ty's new uniform. After all it's one thing to agree to a condition and quite another to have it so formally thrust upon you like that. At any rate, I still think she has enough mind left to do the smart thing here."

"I hope so, because honestly Mai I don't think I can go through with executing her. She's still my little sister." Zuko's voice faded into a whisper.

Mai had no words of comfort to offer her husband. After all, she had no desire to see her one-time friend's ashes scattered to the sea either. Instead she clasped Zuko's clinched fist for reassurance.

"Out of my way, peasant!"

The boom of Azula's regal utterance startled the couple out of their sullen thoughts. Even through the heavy wooden doors, Azula's voice demanded attention.

The double doors swung open to reveal a striding Azula with a jogging Ty Lee in her wake. The Fire Princess swept into the sitting room disdainfully eyeing the sparsely but elegantly decorated space before gracefully lowering herself into a cushion. Ty Lee merely stood behind her charge and bowed to the seated royals.

"Please have a seat Captain Ty Lee." Mai motioned to the cushion to the left of Azula. "Since your charge has decided to dismiss with formalities, I suggest you do the same."

Azula merely smirked at Mai's disapproving tone before turning to her brother, "My Lord Bother, I can't say that I like what you've down with the place. This sitting room seems more suited to a merchant's house than a Fire Lord's chambers. And a poor merchant at that."

Zuko sighed.

"As much as I wish this visit was only about how I choose to decorate my quarters, it is late and there are more pressing matters to discuss. So if we could maybe leave the backhanded comments about everything else aside for now, I think we could get this over with quickly."

Azula shrugged.

"Good. Anyways, you are here to discuss the possibility of your conditional release. None of these conditions are up for negotiation so honestly we are here to ask you one simple question: Can you follow the rules we are about to lay out for you?"

"Well I can't very well answer that until you tell me what the conditions are, now can I?" Azula smirked at her brother.

Zuko frowned and continued, "Very well, your conditions are as follows: First and foremost, you are not allowed to go anywhere or do anything unsupervised. That is where Lady Ty Lee comes in handy. Second, you will report to a healer once a week for the next three months. After the three months are up, the healers will determine if more healing sessions are needed or if less are desired. Third, you will report to me every two weeks and answer any and all questions I might have for you. Fourth, you will participate in the Harmony Restoration Movement talks where you will follow the agenda Fire Lady Mai will lay out for you. She has already sent scrolls detailing the situation and what we expect from you to your quarters. To that end you will report to Mai at least an hour before every scheduled talk and after every talk. Finally you will in no way seek out conferences or talks with Fire Nation Nobles unless either myself or Fire Lady Mai explicitly instructs you to do so. Is that everything, Fire Lady Mai?"

Mai gave a swift nod in response, "I believe so, My Lord, though I would simply mention that these conditions are liable to change. If we feel at a latter date that it is necessary to add conditions, then those too will have to be followed. Conversely, we may feel that with the passing of time that some of these conditions could be safely lifted. Eventually, if you are deemed to have recovered and you have remained loyal to your Lord, then your conditional release will become your unlimited, within reason, freedom."

After Mai finished, Zuko turned back to his still smirking sister and simply asked, "Can you follow these conditions, Azula?"

Azula stroked her chin as if pondering the question.

"So basically you need a pawn to help you achieve something in these Harmony Restoration Movement talks, right? And please don't try to deny it."

Zuko sputtered in an attempt to find the right words. Luckily Mai had already found them.

"In a lychee nutshell, yes. However, Zuko and I also care about your mental health. I think though it might help you understand this situation better if you think of this as an exchange. You help us with the talks and stay loyal to us and we grant you your freedom little by little. It is important to note that we do not need your help, even if we would prefer it."

"Wait just a second," Ty Lee's unexpected voice broke through the political mind games. "I thought this all was only to try and help Azula. If this is all just some political stuff that ends up with Azula has a tool I want nothing to do with it."

Ty Lee turned to Azula. "You have to believe me, 'Zula...I mean Your Highness. I had nothing to do with this. I thought they wanted to help you."

Zuko's pained voice cut in before Azula had a chance to speak, "We do want to help Azula, Ty. We just figured that we could help our nation and my sister at the same time. What is so wrong about that?"

"Ha!" Azula barked a laugh. "And here I thought you might have grown out of that naivety, Ty."

Azula turned back to the royals and stage-whispered, "She really had no idea about this whole thing, did she? It seems I'm not the only 'friend' you're willing to use these days, eh Mai?"

Mai glared at the Fire Princess.

"I resent that accusation."

Azula smiled.

"Well that's a yes if I ever heard one. At any rate, since I'm sure you are just dying for my help and it does feel good to be oh so very needed again, I agree to these conditions. Now if you don't mind I think I will head to my room for the night."

Azula rose from her seat and beckoned to Ty Lee to follow her. Just as she was about to open the door she called back to the still seated royals, "Oh and don't worry Zuzu. You don't have to threaten me with death. I already realized that if I break any of these or latter conditions my ashes will soon feed the fish. Just have the paperwork drawn up by the time of the trial tomorrow and I will happily sign my life into your service. I doubt the alternative would have been good for my health."

And with that, Azula flung open the doors with a flourish and exited the royal chambers.

As the guards quickly closed the doors on Ty Lee's fast-retreating back, Zuko turned to his wife.

"I'm not quite sure I like how that went."

Mai shook her head.

"Me either, My Lord."

* * *

Azula flung open the doors to her bedroom. Smirk still firming in place, she preceded to slowly lower herself onto her silky-soft bed. The Fire Princess knew she should go over the scrolls Mai had sent to her rooms before she relaxed, but the talk with her brother and his concubine had gone so well she felt a little indulgence could be stomached. Besides there was a slightly more pressing matter that was awkwardly standing in the middle of her bedchambers at the moment.

"Is there something you wished to discuss, Ty Lee?"

The acrobat shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot and steadfastly refused to look the regally reclining Fire Princess in the eye. For once she was at a loss for words, but something had to be said.

Finally the nervous girl gathered her courage and blurted out, "Your Highness, I honestly had no idea what they were doing. Had I known I would have never..."

"Never what?" Azula interrupted the struggling acrobat, "You would have never agreed to help them? Even if it meant getting me out of that prison? I think not, Ty Lee."

A crestfallen Ty Lee hung her head in shame.

The Fire Princess studied the hunched form of her guard and rose from her bed. She slowly strode toward the despondent girl. With only a couple inches between the fire bender and the acrobat, Azula reached out unsteady hands toward Ty Lee. She pretended not to notice the slight tremble in her powerful hands as they came in contact with muscular shoulders.

"Look at me, Ty."

Never one to deny Azula anything, least of all an order, Ty Lee brought her face up to meet the eyes of her princess. The sight of a familiar smirk on Azula's lips helped the acrobat relax a bit.

"That's better. I'd hate to think that you weren't listening to me."

The acrobat vehemently shook her head.

"I always listen to you, Your Highness."

Azula's lips twitched upwards from a smirk into a genuine smile for a split second before returning to their customary position. It was such a Ty Lee reply.

"I, for one, am happy you decided to take on this duty."

"Really?" Ty Lee asked skeptically.

"Well I must admit when I saw you in this...uniform, I had some doubts. I thought you had joined them." Azula paused to take in an embarrassingly rattling breath before continuing, "I thought they had stolen you from me...again."

Ty Lee's brow scrunched up in confusion.

"Stolen me?"

Lightning flashed in Azula's eyes as her hands traveled down Ty Lee's arms to possessively clasp the acrobats own hands.

The Fire Princess hissed, "Don't play stupid with me, Ty Lee. I never found it as cute as your many male suitors did."

"I really don't understand, Your Highness." Ty replied in her most soothing voice.

The fire bender sighed and released the acrobat's hands.

"It would seem that you don't understand quite a few things. I suppose in this case that might be your saving grace."

Azula turned on her heel and headed toward her vanity.

"I believe you, Ty, for what that's worth. Now get over here and help me prepare for bed."

Ty Lee's smile lit up the darkened bedchamber as she bounded over to her princess.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Azula snorted and meet her guard's eyes in her vanity mirror.

"I think 'Azula' will suffice for the time being."

It was the closest thing to an apology acceptance Ty Lee was going to get and the young acrobat was thrilled with it.

"Yes, 'Zula."

* * *

I hope you all liked it.

I am sorry if there were a lot of typos in the second half. I am running on limited sleep, but I wanted to get this out there.

Please Review as it helps me a lot.

Thank you for reading.

-Watevs15


	17. Ch 17: Show Me What Love Means

Hey everyone!

So this is the chapter that earns its **MATURE RATING**. There will be sex in this chapter (however poorly written). However, I have blocked off the part of the story which includes actual sexual (no clothes action) for those of you who want to continue reading, but don't feel comfortable with a descriptive sex scene. **XXX** will serve as the header and footer to this section. The rest should be safe for T-Rating.

Sorry for the extra long Author's Note. As always please Read and Review as it helps my writing. Just go back and read the first chapter if you don't believe me :)

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA.

* * *

The scratch of a stylus, the rustling of papers, and the soft grumblings of an agitated voice awoke the guard in the cot. Slowly her eyes fluttered open to spy the murky shadow of a hunched figure flickering in the candlelight against the wall to her left.

"By Agni...Fools...They want what?"

The voice grumbled on as the shadow reached up to smooth its hair.

Ty Lee sighed and happily continued to watch the shadow dance against the dark red walls. The newly minted guard knew that the pre-dawn grumblings and frustrated hair smoothing meant that her charge had decided to study the Fire Lady's documents before the morning made its appearance. She also knew it was a bad idea to interrupt the Fire Princess when she was strategizing; not that she wanted to. As far as Ty Lee was concerned, this peaceful moment could drag on for the rest of her days.

It was comforting to hear the old sounds of Azula tutting and grumbling over strategical papers. Add in the uncomfortable cot and low candlelight and it was like the acrobat was back in the fire bender's tent as they roamed the Earth Kingdom countryside. Ty Lee hadn't necessarily enjoyed the reason for that extended hiking trip and she definitely hadn't been thrilled about the cold way Azula sometimes brushed her off. However, the nights with Azula weren't always so cold. In fact, sometimes they could be downright hot.

"The Earth King will never...Uprising..."

The acrobat squirmed uncomfortably at the sound of her charge's voice. She had forgotten where she was, and, more importantly, who she was with for a moment. The fire that swept along her cheeks was a good reminder that such...interesting memories probably should be kept under control.

"Ty Lee, I heard you moving around over there. Fetch me the candles from the bathroom. Perhaps in better light this folly will look better." Azula's voice reached out like a whip from the dark to further the guard's discomfort.

The acrobat shot up from the little cot and haphazardly dashed toward the bathroom to retrieve a candelabra with brand new candles already attached. She then softly padded up to the side of her princess' mahogany desk where the fire bender sat, hunched over an opened scroll. Ty Lee angled the candelabra toward her charge and waited until the Fire Princess distractedly waved her hand over the wicks of the candles. For a second the candelabra burst into blue flames, but they quickly died down and the normal reds and yellows prevailed.

As the acrobat placed the candelabra on the desk, she absent-mindedly whispered to herself, "I missed that."

The fire bender continued to pour over the scroll in front of her, stylus poised to mark up any key phrase, even as she questioned her pre-dawn companion, "Missed what?"

"I'm sorry, 'Zula." The acrobat replied with wavering voice. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

The Fire Princess unconsciously waved off the apology.

"It's fine just this once. Now answer the question."

Ty Lee was grateful that Azula had not looked up from her scroll. The acrobat was sure that the observant fire bender would have been able to notice such a bright blush even in the dark.

"Well I guess I meant that I missed your fire bending." The young acrobat sheepishly admitted.

After scratching out a rather benign looking phrase, Azula commented, "Well, I suppose after living with those Earth Kingdom mud-slinging savages for a year seeing someone fire bend would be a treat."

Ty Lee sighed.

"They aren't savages, 'Zula. I really wish you'd stop making fun of my friends. Besides, I've seen plenty of fire benders in the Earth Kingdom. I've just never seen anyone who fire bent like you is all."

Azula gently laid her stylus down and turned to her companion. Head titled ever so slightly, she took a good look at her personal guard.

"You mean the color? I had forgotten that you liked the blue." The Fire Princess lied.

"Well yes, the color is part of it, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know if I can explain it." The acrobat sheepishly admitted.

Azula smirked.

"Try."

Another order.

The acrobat sighed and then trained her eyes on the candelabra. The low flames leapt and danced, creating shifting patterns on the walls.

"You're alive."

The smirk turned to a frown as the Fire Princess tried to comprehend what her Ty Lee was on about.

"Yes, so?"

The young noble smiled at her princess.

"I mean when you fire bend you come alive. You see the flames on the candelabra?"

The fire bender nodded.

"Well when you fire bend, even when you aren't focusing on it, your aura has these little bursts of colors that dance around like fire. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but that's the best I can do. It's like your whole spirit comes alive."

"And this doesn't happen to other fire benders?"

The acrobat paused to think about it before she answered, "It does sometimes, but never like you and never every time they fire bend."

The Fire Princess nodded at the answer. She wasn't sure if she believed in all of Ty Lee's aura-hocus-pocus, but it was definitely interesting.

"So you've missed the pretty colors my supposed aura makes when I fire bend? What a strange world you live in."

Ty Lee hung her head in embarrassment.

"I guess you must think that I'm pretty silly for missing that."

Azula turned back to her scroll as she replied to the ashamed girl, "A little, but you would not be my Ty Lee if you were not a little silly. It's good to know that she's still in there, under that uniform."

Ty Lee's heart thrilled to the sound of "my Ty Lee" on Azula's lips. Suddenly the acrobat got a rather impulsive idea into her head.

Ty Lee slowly dropped to her knees and gently took Azula's left hand away from the scroll, into her own hands.

Azula stubbornly glared at the ink on the parchment.

"I've missed that too."

Ty Lee's small voice filled the space between the shadows and candlelight.

"I've missed being your Ty Lee."

The candles flared up and the shadows warped and stretched as the fire bender's breath quickened.

"I've missed our talks. I've missed your voice. I've missed your smirk. I've missed your eyes, your hair, your hands..."

Ty Lee knew she was pushing things too far as she raised the Fire Princess' hands to her lips. Everything was too quick, too soon. But she also knew that if she let her, then Azula was going to keep her at arms length for the rest of her life. She had to try something, and she had to try now.

"I've missed you, 'Zula. I know it was all my fault. I should have done something different. I should have never left for the circus. I should have stayed. Maybe then Boiling Rock would have never happened. I know it's my fault, ok? But isn't there any way you can forgive me? Can't we move on? I don't want to miss you anymore, 'Zula."

The Fire Princess breathed in and she breathed out. The flames rose and fell to the sound of the air being forced into and out of her body.

Ty Lee held onto her princess' hand for what seemed like an eternity as the shadows danced around them. As the minutes dragged on, the acrobat's powerful hands crushed the fire bender's feverish one between them. The guard held on for dear life to her last connection to her charge.

"No."

The flames pulsated in front of the suddenly limp acrobat, but all she could feel was the creeping cold of the shadows behind her.

"No?" Ty Lee's voice cracked out the simple word.

"No."

"'Zula, please..."

Ty Lee bowed her head to touch her frozen forehead to Azula's feverish, trapped hand, but the hand freed itself. It snaked its way down the acrobat's cheek, flinching when it came in contact with the hot river of tears that flowed there. It continued its slow descent until it reached her chin. With strong fingers, the hand raised Ty Lee's face toward Azula's.

"No, it wasn't your fault."

"What?" The dazed acrobat asked. "I don't understand."

Azula looked for the right words, but the truth was she wasn't sure she understood herself. One second she had been teasing her guard and then the next the acrobat had been begging for forgiveness, bringing up their uneasy past like it was nothing.

At first she had been angry. How dare such a lowly noble pretend to manipulate a Fire Nation Royal! The anger and hate had been easy for Azula. It had been festering and exploding like an infected wound ever since the Boiling Rock catastrophe. Ty Lee had jabbed it with a red hot needle and, like a wounded animal, all Azula had wanted to do was bite. But then the anger and hate began to fade. In their place agony crept in. The injury was torn wide open and the pain was excruciating. It was too much all at once. For the first time in a long time all Azula wanted to do was hide away and lick her wounds. It didn't take long, though, until a wholly new and unexpected feeling overcame the pain. As Ty Lee continued to apply her soothing words, an almost peace started to take hold of the Fire Princess. The acrobat had lanced Azula's heart and drained enough of the sickness for the time-being to allow her some clarity.

"It's not your fault, Ty Lee. I'm the monster. I pushed you away. I almost killed your best friend. I forgive you, but can you...forgive me?"

Ty Lee hadn't betrayed Azula. Maybe her brother and Mai turned her away from the Fire Princess, but Azula had forced her into their arms. It was Azula's fault in the end, but here was a chance to redeem herself. She could have her Ty Lee again and this time she wouldn't lose her. With Ty Lee at her side she would punish the real traitors and restore her people to their former glory. Then she could spend the rest of her days making sure Ty Lee would never want for anything.

Ty Lee smiled at her princess.

"No."

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

"No, you are not a monster. But yes, I forgive you.

Azula smirked.

"Turn about is fair play, I suppose."

The acrobat giggled and slowly drew herself up the still sitting form of her princess. When she finally had snaked her way into Azula's lap, she placed her arms around the fire bender's neck and whispered into her ear, "You know what else I've missed?"

Azula shivered at the feel of Ty Lee's lips pressed just under her ear and slowly shook her head.

The acrobat kissed a line along the princess' jaw until she came to her chin. She looked the Fire Princess straight in the eye and whispered mere centimeters away from the fire bender's slightly parted mouth.

"Your lips."

The Fire Princess smirked and grabbed a hold of her acrobat's hips.

"I think I can do something about that."

Azula leaned in the last few centimeters as Ty Lee tightened her arms around the Fire Princesses neck. At last their lips met in a fiery kiss. Azula's hands dug into Ty's hips as she pulled the acrobat's lithe body flush against her own. With an insistent nip on her bottom lip, Ty Lee opened her mouth to allow Azula's spicy tongue in. The acrobat moaned into her princess' mouth and began to rock her hips into the fire bender. Azula moaned her approval back. Their teeth gnashed together as their bodies crashed into each other again and again to no particular rhythm.

It wasn't enough.

Azula released Ty's hips as the girl continued to rock back and forth on top of her. She slid her now free hands down the acrobat's tight backside, relishing in the feel of the powerful muscles at work. Azula untangled her lips and tongue from Ty Lee's and started to nip and kiss and lick and pant down the guard's neck. When Azula reached a particularly sensitive pulse point in her neck, she bucked against Azula and tangled her hands in the Fire Princess' thick hair.

"'Zula! Agni that's good!" Ty Lee managed to gasp out in between soft moans.

At the sound of her name, Azula decided it was time for a change of scenery.

The once impressively strong fire bender wrapped her hands under the junctions where the acrobat's powerful thighs and butt met and began to try to carry her to the bed. Unfortunately a year of mal-nurishment and no training meant that all the weakened Fire Princess could do was lift the guard on top of the desk as her own legs gave out.

Ty Lee landed with a thud on the desk seconds before Azula landed on top of her.

"Ooof!"

The edge of the desk knocked the wind out of the Fire Princess momentarily.

"'Zula," A breathless Ty Lee began, "Are you ok?"

The fire bender merely got off the acrobat and limped toward the bed. When she reached her safety of the red silk sheets she growled out to Ty Lee, "Not a word to anyone about that. Now get over here."

Ty Lee smiled and happily obliged the pride-wounded Fire Nation Royal. The acrobat propped herself up on her elbow and began to stroke her princess' face.

**XXX**

"Do you want to continue, 'Zula?"

Azula gulped at the sound of Ty Lee's husky voice. They had fooled around in the Earth Kingdom and even after they had returned to the Fire Nation as war heroes before everything came crashing down, but they had never gone much further than a few heavy makeout sessions. She had never trusted Ty Lee enough, but now that they had gotten the bad blood out in the open...

"Yes. Do you?"

Ty Lee smiled and raised up on to her knees. She slowly took off her sleeping top and let Azula take in the sight of her naked breasts. She nervously giggled.

Azula raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well that's certainly one way to answer."

The Fire Princess removed her own shirt and then patted the spot next to her on the bed to encourage her companion to lay back down. Ty Lee happily complied. As soon as the she was laying back on the bed, Azula maneuvered her body over the acrobat's. Hovering a mere inch from the acrobat's deliciously naked torso, Azula gently kissed her Ty Lee. The acrobat arched up into the kiss to deepen it. The heat of Azula's skin on her own was delicious.

She had to have more.

Snaking her arms around the fire benders lower back, the acrobat's powerful fingers pressed into the dip of Azula's spine. The Fire Princess had no choice put to stop her teasing and bear into Ty Lee's body. Ty Lee had to end the kiss to even breathe has she panted for more air.

While trying to brace herself against the acrobat's powerful, writhing body, Azula accidentally brushed her knee against Ty Lee's center. Ty Lee hissed in pleasure and dug her nails into her princess' back. Enjoying the reaction, Azula continued to brush her leg against Ty. Finally, Ty could no longer take it.

"Please, 'Zula. I need all of you. Please! Agni more!"

Azula, feeling generous, decided to give into Ty Lee's desperate pleas. She made short work of both their pants and within seconds Ty Lee was sprawled naked under an equally naked Azula. The Fire Princess raised up on her knees to hungrily take in the sight of her Ty Lee's perfect body. The powerful muscles, the jut and dip of her hips, the perfect breasts, and all the bold scars from years of hard training. It was all so beautiful and now she was going to get to touch it all. Azula was overwhelmed with a feeling she had rarely experienced in her life: gratitude.

"Wow 'Zula...I mean you are so beautiful. I just...Can I touch you?"

Azula smiled down at her Ty Lee. Such an innocent and beautiful way to ask.

"Yes...P-p-please."

Ty Lee sat up and reached a tentative hand up to Azula's face. She gently cradled the fire bender's feverish cheek in one hand as the other reached around her waist. A soft smile graced her face.

"I love you, 'Zula."

Azula tenderly grabbed the hand on her cheek and brought it palm-first to her lips for a light kiss.

"I don't know what that means." The Fire Princess' normally commanding voice wavered and broke against the acrobat's callused palm.

Ty Lee placed a chaste kiss against the fire bender's wasted abdomen and then beamed up at her princess.

"Let me show you."

The Fire Princess could only manage a nod.

Ty Lee angled her face down toward the glossy black locks that curled around Azula's center. She inhaled her soon-to-be-lover's spicy and yet earthy scent as she trailed her free hand up and down Azula's thigh. Her other hand she kept laced with the Fire Princess' as she trembled above the acrobat.

"Ty..."

The acrobat looked up at her princess. She could smell and see the glistening wetness in between the other girl's legs, but she didn't want to push her.

"Yes, 'Zula? Are you ok?"

"P-please...I can't stand your teasing."

Ty Lee bent her head back down toward her target even as she smiled. She was the only one who would ever hear Azula beg outright, and that knowledge was a little heady for her already fogged mind.

"As you wish, 'Zula." Ty Lee whispered against Azula's center.

At last Ty Lee slid her tongue into Azula's folds and tasted her for the first time. As the Fire Princess bucked above her, Ty Lee tried to place the delicious taste. Salty and smokey with a hint of spice. Ty Lee could easily see herself becoming addicted to Azula's flavor.

"Agni! Ty Lee! Oh Agni!"

Ty Lee nearly giggled as she latched onto Azula's clit and the yelling got even louder. It was about time to end the wonderful torture.

Carefully Ty Lee probed the fire bender's bucking entrance. She was soaked, so very gently the acrobat entered her princess.

At the feel of Ty Lee's finger curling inside of her and hitting her in just the right spot, Azula shuddered and screamed to her first orgasm.

"TY LEE!"

Ty Lee quickly removed herself and caught the limp girl in her arms as the earth-shattering orgasm drained the last of the exhausted princess' strength. She helped the slumped fire bender to lay down and quietly she pulled the sheets over them.

**XXX**

The Fire Princess weakly protested as she wanted to return the favor.

"It's ok, 'Zula. I'm not going anywhere, so there'll be plenty of time for that later."

"You're not going anywhere?" Azula sleepily repeated.

"I promise I'll never leave you again. I love you, 'Zula."

The Fire Princess sleepily smiled as the acrobat snuggled into her arms.

"I think I'm beginning to know what that means. Now if you won't let me reciprocate I think we should sleep. I have a trial in a couple hours after all."

But Azula's suggestion fell on deaf ears, as Ty Lee was already asleep.

* * *

Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

For those who actually read the sex scene portion, this is the first sex scene I've ever written so I'm sorry if it was too unpleasant.

Next chapter should be more on the political side so if that's more your cup of tea you have that to look forward to.

Also a heads-up to any Beta's out there. I think it's about time I take some helpful advice and see about getting a Beta because these grammar mistakes at 3AM are killing me! If you are interested PM me.

As always please review!

Bye for now.

-Watevs15


	18. Ch 18: Listening to Hearings

I know I probably have no right coming back to this story so many months after, but I have to.

I lost my Grandfather this summer. He was the man who encouraged me to tell my stories. Although I doubt he would approve of this story I can't _not_ tell this story any longer.

I know I've probably destroyed this story for a lot of people with my extended absence, but to not finish the story now would be disrespectful to my Grandfather.

Again, I am sorry, but this is the first time in months I could look at my notebooks.

* * *

Suki nervously fingered the shut fan tucked in her sash as she shifted her eyes across the crowd of red and gold Fire Nation nobles, black guards, and blue Water Tribe representatives. The green and brown Earth Kingdom dignitaries stood behind the edgy captain of the honorary guards, the Kyoshi warriors.

They too fidgeted un their silks. The tension in the darkened throne room was palatable. it tasted of the salty tang of sweat and uncertainty. There was no rational cause for concern that the crowded elites knew of and yet the stench of fear remained sweet and thick.

Suki breathed in the heady scent of the ceremonial oil that would be lit by Zuko once the Fire Lord deign to join his sweating audience. She carefully exhaled so as not to spook her suddenly skittish charges.

The captain of the elite honor guard was very much aware that she was possibly the only person in the unsettling quiet throne room who actually knew what was about to happen. She had warned her Kyoshi warriors to be prepared for things to get ugly, but she couldn't give them details without jeopardizing the entire operation.

Looking around at the obviously distressed crowd, Suki was glad she had't given out details. The situation was too precarious. Even a stray word could push things over the razor-thin edge now.

"Gong!"

The crash of the obnoxiously over-sized gong announced the entrance of the Fire Lord and his Lady. The crowd, happy to be released from its purgatory, too eagerly leapt to attention and bowed to their host. Drops of sweat everywhere in the room splashed to the black marble floor.

Bowed at the waist, Suki lifted her eyes to watch Zuko and Mai regally march across the raised dais. She had to hand it to the Fire Nation. They knew how to put on a good show.

Mai sat on the cushion slightly below and to the right of her Lord's. She watched the down-turned faces as Zuko lit the trench of oil in front of the throne with a healthy reddish-orange flame. She smirked as the light gleamed off the straightening sweat-slicked faces. Her one-time lead wasn't the only one who could read the signs of weakness.

Zuko sat upon his high throne-cushion and looked to his wife. When she ever so slightly dipped her head, the Fire Lord's voice rang throughout the long hall, "Bring in the prisoner!"

The two-story tall gold-inlaid mahogany doors that had been closed after the last dignitary, one bed-headed Sokka of the Southern Watertribe, had snuck into the grand throne room room creaked open. Wreathed in the bright light from the outer hall torches stood an imposing silhouette. The ghostly shadow lurched forward to the sound of clanking chains. When the clanking ghoul was just out of reach of the great doors, the mahogany giants inched back together to once again bar the crowd's escape. After what seemed an eternity the audience's eyes began to readjust to the twilight of the long hall, and the collective gasp when out.

Suki took in the awe-inspiring specter of the Princess Azula decked out in her full ceremonial armor and crown, accessorized with the largest, most impressive collection of chains the young captan had ever seen and topped with a wicked-looking steel muzzle.

Staring into those flashing gold pupils, Suki knew she had found the star of the whole production.

She just hoped Zuko and Mai were ready for this diva.

"Captain Ty Lee, bring the prisoner forward." Zuko's order echoed over the sudden upswelling of whispers.

Captain Suki watched with increasing interest as her one-time recruit turned captain of her own guard placed a lightly reassuring hand in the small of her charge's back even as she gripped the prisoner's upper arm in a more professional hold. The Kyoshi warrior's eyebrows climbed up her pointed face at the curiously softening golden orbs and relaxing posture of the Fire Princess. Suki put this and the barely hidden smile on Ty Lee's face together and suppressed a nervous laugh.

She really should've have seen that one coming.

The Fire Princess valiantly struggled to quick-march down the long aisle toward the dais even as the heavy chains dragged on the cold marble floor. Her weakened muscles protested the extra strain of the no longer familiar armor and the copious metal links. Had it not been for her guard's strong and sure arms inconspicuously helping her forward, the proud prodigy knew she would have surely fallen in front of the captivated audience.

The fire bender silently gave the thank your she would never say to er acrobat as she stealthily helped the prisoner to her knees in front of the dais. The gentle smile that graced Ty Lee's face assured Azula that she had heard it all the same.

Zuko took in the sight of his sister chained and bent before his throne and fought the urge to grimace. He knew that a small part of himself had been reveling in the anticipation of this moment. That nasty voice had preened at the vision of the ultimate victory. However, watching his sister's normally sure-footed advance toward the seat of power transformed into the halting and stuttering approach under the burden of her excessive bonds had silenced the vain crowing in the Fire Lord's head .

"Forgive me, my Lord, but may I please remove the muzzle from the prisoner? She deserves to be heard at her own trial, right?"

The demure voice of the newly minted captain sent ripples of whispered conversation up and down the long hall.

"Trial?"

"...Monster needs a muzzle."

"She's royalty for Agni's sake..."

"Burn her!"

Zuko raised his hands and the low simmering flames burst into a crackling wall of fire. After the flames had consumed the last bit of errant conversation, the Fire Lord lowered them once more and turned back to the prisoner and her guard.

"Of course, Captain Ty Lee. We are after all here to hear the trial of Fire Princess Azula."

Ty Lee nodded and bent down to fiddle with the straps that held the cruel mask of steel to her Princess' mouth. When she had been tasked with preparing Azula for the trial she had fervently whispered apology after apology as each excessive piece of metal was placed on her lover's body. She had nearly cried when she had put the muzzle over her princess' exquisite lips. The smirk and slight nod Azula had given her as she approached with the metal mask was the only thing that had kept her together.

As the acrobat diligently worked the buckles and straps with nimble fingers to set her charge free, Azula whispered behind the metal, "Same old rash Ty Lee. I was fine."

Ty Lee smiled and worked the stiff leather through the ungiving buckle and whispered back, "I know, but I wasn't."

Bang!

The muzzle finally fell away to the floor with a crash. A fierce smirk replaced it.

"i suppose a thank you is in order, my Lord."

Mai narrowed her eyes and surveyed the agitated crowd. Things were getting out of hand.

"My Lord accepts you thanks, but there are more important matters to discuss. My Lord?"

Zuko might not have been as intuitive of a player as his wife or sister, but her knew a cue when he heard one.

"Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, we have brought you here to discuss you future. There are those in this hallowed throne room that would see you burnt in retaliation for your actions in the Great War. And there are those who would see you awarded for your loyal service to your nation in a time of war. Although this is ultimately a Fire Nation matter, we have brought representatives from all the nations to witness the Fire Nation's commitment to justice. Do you understand?"

"I understand and accept whatever judgment you may pass on me here in these hallowed halls of our Fathers' as is you right, my Lord."

Another wave of whispers surged forward and was quelled once more by another wall of fire.

Zuko's voice boomed throughout the now quieted hall, "My Lords and Ladies and esteemed guests of the Fire Nation, I will have quiet during these proceedings. The life-blood of Sozin is on the line here."

The crowd grew somber if reluctantly.

"Very good. Now Watertribesman Sokka, do the Watertribes bring any war crime accusations against Princess Azula of the Fire Nation?"

Sokka hid his surprise at being called out and turned to his fellow Watertribe representatives. One by one they shook their heads.

"To our knowledge the Princess has committed no crime against the Watertribes or their people. I believe she was deployed against the Earth Kingdom principally."

"Very well, there are no charges from the Watertribes. Avatar Aang, do the Air Nomads have any charges to bring forward?"

The audience turned to stare at the right-side of the foot of the dais where the last airbender pondered the question.

"Well, Azula wasn't alive when my people were massacred."

Zuko grimaced, but put the question to his friend once more, "So the Air Nomads have no charges?"

Aang nervously rubbed his bald head and smiled a little too wide.

"Well she did kill me technically, so I guess that?"

Mai felt the unsettling urge to kill the Avatar herself. Of course the monk would bring that up. She turned to her husband instead.

"My Lord, perhaps the prisoner can provide a defense for this incident."

Zuko nodded his understanding and asked his still kneeling sister, "Can you defend yourself, Princess Azula?"

Still facing the Fire Lord, Azula replied simply, "It was a battle, my Lord. The Avatar was, at the time, an enemy of the Fire Nation and fought me. He lost. I won."

"So you killed the Avatar in a fair battle?" Zuko sought to clarify.

"Well it was hardly a fair fight at first. It was two against one until you joined the battle, my Lord. Together we turned the tables on the mast water bender and airbender. I struck the final blow that momentarily killed the Avatar, but I couldn't have done it without your help. I believe that is why you took credit for the kill."

Zuko's grimace was visible from the opposite end of the long hall.

"Do you wish to withdraw the charge, Avatar Aang?"

Aang nodded and replied, "I suppose that makes sense. I have no charges, but you should ask the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko somehow managed to keep his eyes form violently rolling in their sockets.

"Thank you for your advice, Avatar Aang. Diplomat Chow, does the Earth Kingdom have any charges to bring against Princess Azula?"

Chow didn't even have to turn to his fellow diplomats. He merely sneered out, "The Coup of Ba Sing Se, the Burnt Earth Campaign, and the torture of captive Earth Kingdom warriors."

"Is that all the charges you wish to bring against the Princess Azula?" Zuko calmly inquired.

"Are they not enough?" The indignant Chow spat back.

"Can you defend yourself from these accusations, Princess Azula?"

Azula bit back her snarky comment. She had no need to defend herself from that filthy mud-grubber's petty accusations. She was the liberator of Ba Sing Se, the brilliant strategist of the Burnt Earth Campaign, and the ruthlessly efficient interrogator of enemy troops. But not a single fool in the soiled hall of her fathers would understand these things. They only saw a now toothless monster at worst and her father's most efficient tool at best.

A light, but powerful hand on her shoulder pad snapped the Princess back to the awaiting audience. She looked up the built arm to the toned shoulders and lithe neck and finally up to the imperceptibly worried face of her guard. To the rest of the hall that hand was a reminder that the beast was captive. To Azula it was a reassurance that at least one person understood.

It was for her the Azula defiled her mouth with an explanation of her actions to a dirt-peasant.

"The Coup of Ba Sing Se was a bloodless military action. I too have recently suffered from injured pride, so I understand the accusation, but there was no wrongdoing on my part of that action. If you want someone to blame, then seek out your own traitors.

"As for the Burnt Earth Campaign, I admit it was my suggestion. But I might remind your Lordship, it was my father that implemented the plan. I was in the Fire Nation at the time of the attack. Further, I only suggested it to save the lives of Fire Nation troops. The guerrilla tactics of the Earth Kingdom Resistance were dishonorable attacks that left many of our soldiers dead. I felt that only a dishonorable action on the Fire Nation's part could end what would be years of resistance attacks that would have left many dead and wounded on both sides. The civilian deaths would have been...regrettable." Azula continued, "But it would have saved more lives than it would have taken."

Afraid that his target had successfully maneuvered out of the trap, Chow seized the pause in Azula's defenses to angrily shout, "Some very fancy talking, Princess Azula, but what of my tortured comrades? The captain of my very own honor guard can show us the physical scars of your 'interrogations'. Explain away those scars! Explain away your title as the Beast of the Boiling Rock!"

Chow's echoing bellows stunned Suki along with the rest of the hall into a speechless silence. Her girls had been wagging their tongues again, most likely bragging about the bravery she must have shown in the face of that monster. They'd all seen the scars, a burn here, a cut there. Tiny wounds scattered under her clothes were the claw-marks of a beast the newer girls had only heard stories about.

Bureaucrats like Chow so eager to use her stories as negotiating leverage and her scars as evidence could never understand that late night tear tracks left a more damning mark than any damaged skin ever could.

It was this simple fact that left Suki to impotently rage against her ignorant charge in her head.

The pregnant pause continued to fill the hall as the Princess bowed her head in assumed-humility. She had to think her way out of this and fast. The ghost of Ty Lee's removed hand weighed heavily on her shoulder.

There was very little Azula regretted, and gaining valuable intel on her enemies was hardly one of those things. However,, from the way Ty Lee was always prattling on about this Captain Ty Lee that the mud-peasant was holding up as a victim, Azula had to admit she felt the slightest bit...uneasy. After all, the Fire Princess owed the Kyoshi warrior for watching out for her acrobat when she couldn't.

"My Lord may I approach the Earth Kingdom dignitaries?"

Zuko glanced at Ambassador Chow.

The retired General bravery nodded.

"You may."

Azula grimaced as she struggled to her feet, but she threw her moment of weakness back with her shoulders as she turned toward General Chow and his entourage. She sauntered, chains and all, right up to the indignant diplomat. The entire hall held its breath when the much slighter prisoner pressed the distance between herself and General Chow to a mere hair's breadth.

The hall let out a puzzled sigh of relief when the Princess finally side-stepped the diplomat in favor of facing his honor guard's captain.

"Captain Suki, I believe?"

Suki started at the firebender's demure voice addressing her with something as close to bashfulness as she figured the Princess' cruel voice could muster.

What a clever trick.

"I see you remember me. Perhaps I really was your favorite prisoner?"

Another suppressed grimace almost made it onto Azula's composed face. The Earth warrior was going to make this hard.

"I honestly cannot remember you as a prisoner. I remember you as a remarkably capable warrior who fought with the Avatar. Truthfully I know you best from the stories Captain Ty Lee has told me of you. You took care of her while I was...incapacitated. I wanted to thank you for that."

"Your thanks is not needed. She was under my command and I try to take care of all my girls." Suki stated matter-of-factly our of sheer surprise.

Azula's eyes twinkled.

"And that's what makes you a good leader. I am sorry if my interrogation methods brought worthy warriors undue pain. Captain Ty Lee's stories have shown me that my tactics were excessive. For that I am sorry. However, at the time I was a leader in charge of hundreds of thousands of Fire Nation soldiers. These men and women were under my command and it was my job to keep them safe. The information I gathered from prisoners like yourself kept them safer. I will not apologized for that. As a leader I hope you can understand that."

Suki wasn't sure how to respond. As a leader she completed understood. As a human she was disturbed.

"It is understandable even if it is unforgivable."

Azula looked into the Captain's hard eyes and saw them soften at the edges. She had won al the sympathy she could from the Kyoshi Warrior and crowd. She nodded and marched back to the dais.

"I await your judgment, my Lord."

Zuko look toward his friend, Suki. She nodded her head once and turned her face away.

"Very well, I have heard the Earth Kingdom's accusations. i have come to the conclusion that Princess Azula's only wrong-doing towards that nation is her use of enhance interrogation techniques. Since this torture was performed in service toward her country to protect those under her command and not against her enemies in a malicious way I believe her punishment should be one year in prison."

Ty Lee almost cried out before a swift nudge from her Princess stopped her in her tracks.

Zuko continued over the crowds' protests, "A year which she has already serve. Therefore, Princess Azula is absolved of all her crimes and his gladly welcomed back into her home. All titles and rights are conferred upon her."

Ty Lee almost whooped for joy, but then Zuko singled her out.

"Captain Ty Lee please remove the shackles from Princess Azula and escort her back to her quarters."

The hall broke into an uproar as Ty Lee unshackled her Princess and lead her back toward her quarters. Let the nobles bark at each other. Her Azula was free!

Azula smirked as she exited the excited hall. Not even a whole minute "free" and she was already causing an uproar. She still had it after all.

As she marched back towards her quarters with her only ally by her side, Azula felt invincible.

Soon Azula was going to teach these fools what happened when you played with fire.

* * *

Well it's been awhile as I said.

I hope you enjoyed and please feel free to review.

Thanks for reading.

-whatevs15


	19. Ch 19: Practice Plans

Here's another chapter.

Please read and review if you like.

normal disclaimer here.

* * *

Two steps forward, side-step to the left, sidekick to the right, plant foot and adjust weight.

"Gah!" Azula cried out as her body crumpled around her unresponsive ankle.

Ty Lee somersaulted out of her handstand and rushed toward the fallen noble. Without a word, the acrobat probed the swollen joint.

"'Zula, I really think this ankle has had it for the day."

The Fire Princess growled at her guard and stubbornly rose to her feet. She began the once familiar kata with her back to the put-out acrobat still in the grass.

"I tell my body when it's time to quit for the day, not the other way around."

Ty Lee sighed and resigned herself to doing yet another handstand. Her Princess had already fallen four times and stubbornly continued with her training despite the young Captain's protests. There really was no reasoning with the girl.

The fire bending prodigy continued to flow through her katas for several more minutes until a particularly tricky jump-kick ended in an awkward landing. Again the Princess crumbled, and again the acrobat rushed to her side.

Attempting to spare Azula from further injury to her pride, Ty Lee ignored the hisses of pain as she probed the fire bender's swollen ankle with skilled fingers.

Azula, for her part, merely glared at her traitorous ankle in between grimaces of pain.

"You know, gah!" One of Ty Lee's fingers found a particularly tender spot on the girl's ankle, but she continued on. "I mastered that particular kata when I was ten. And now look at me! I wish Zuko had had the guts to kill me in that agni kai instead of letting me waste away in that prison cell."

Ty Lee's eyes narrowed as she glared at Azula.

"Don't you ever say that again."

"And don't you ever give me another order again." Azula spat back.

They glared at each other for a few minutes, neither one wanting to give. Finally Ty Lee realized she was trying to out-stubborn the stubbornest person she knew, so she caved.

Ty Lee released her charge's ankle in favor of reaching for her hands.

"I'm sorry 'Zula. I didn't mean to give you an order. It's just you must know how sad I would be if you had died. It hurts me to think about it."

Azula uneasily looked at her hands clasped in the acrobats own and internally sighed. She hadn't meant to hurt the oversensitive guard.

"Very well, just don't let me catch you doing it again. And I did not mean to make you upset. I'm just...annoyed. I should be able to do these kata in my sleep and yet here I am: the mighty prodigy in a heap on the grass."How Azula hated the grass.

Ty Lee rolled her eyes and helped her lover to her feet.

"This is your first day back after over a year of doing nothing. I think the fact that your managing to do any of these master-level katas is a sign of your talent. But honestly 'Zula that ankle is being overworked and if you don't stop soon your going to be in bed with a sprained ankle for the next week." Ty smirked and lowered her voice as she leaned in to whisper in Azula's ear, "Not that I would mind having you in bed for the next week."

Azula turned as bright red as her workout clothes and cleared her throat as she stepped away from the acrobat.

"Ahem, apparently the circus had a bad influence on you, Lady Ty Lee."

"You seemed to think it was a good influence last night, your Highness." Ty Lee shot back with a wink.

Azula decided to ignore Ty's lecherous grin and her suddenly burning face.

"Yes, well perhaps I should call it a day. I want to look over some more of those scrolls Mai sent over before I head to meet with Zuzu and his harlot."

The acrobat pursed her lips.

"Do you have to call her that?"

"Yes." The Princess simply tossed over her shoulder as she began to limp towards her quarters.

* * *

Two sets of eyes watched as the Fire Princess and the Captain of her guard left the garden that they had been using to train in for the last four hours.

"Did you see that, Lee?"

Lee of the illustrious and powerful noble house Shizou stroked his beard as is over anxious friend continued on without a reply.

"Did you see the way she was limping away? She's gotten weak in prison. Are you sure this is still a good idea?"

Lee sighed in disgust at his long-time friend.

"It's a good thing Admiral Chan isn't alive to see what a coward his son turned out to be."

Chan lounged at Lee only to be thrown in dirt by the skilled martial artist. He quickly got back up with a hand from his speedy friend.

"Besides, I think you missed the more important observation here."

Chan managed to grumble out, "And what exactly did I miss?"

"I know you're no fire bender, but surely you recognized those katas? Those were master level katas being preformed by someone who had been rotting away for the previous year. I'd say the fact that she managed to mostly pull off those katas with only a limp after means we picked our sides well, don't you think?"

Chan scratched the back of his head, but nodded in agreement with his smarter friend. If Shizou said this was a good idea, then the young Lord Chan would back him. After all, Chan and Shizou wanted the same thing: revenge.

Shizou motioned for his well-connected ally to follow him out of the garden. They had work to do.

* * *

This was a much shorter chapter than normal, but it didn't seem right adding in more scenes.

I hope you all enjoyed.

-Watevs15


	20. Ch 20: Private Talks

Hello everyone!

Here's the latest chapter.

Normal Disclaimer attached.

* * *

Tap...Tap...Tap.

"Oh for Agni's sake Zuko! Must you always tap like that?!"

Zuko snatched back his hand from the low sitting room table and crossed his arms as he scowled at his wife.

"Where is she?" Zuko hissed at Mai. "She should have been here ten minutes ago."

Mai fingered the steel blades hidden in her sleeve.

"How should I know?"

Zuko humphed and leaned away from the table.

"I don't like this. It's not like her to be late."

There was a commotion at the entrance to the royal suite. Even through the heavy wooden doors the royals could hear Azula's commanding voice followed by the nervously shuffling armor of their elite guards as they stepped out of the Fire Princess' way.

Mai suppressed the urge to smirk as she turned to her husband.

"You were saying, my Lord?"

Azula burst into the room with a flourish and quickly sat on a cushion opposite the royal couple, throwing a pouch full of scrolls on the table as she sat. Ty Lee pulled the doors closed after her and quietly sat beside her charge.

"You really have to stop barging in like that, Azula. As Fire Lord I am due some respect after all." Zuko growled at his little sister.

Azula languidly reached out and took the Fire Lord's cup of tea as both the Fire Lord and Lady stared at her in disbelief. She calmly heated up the cup and took a long sip before turning to her bother.

"Of course Zuzu. I'll make sure to remember that at our next clandestine meeting." Azula smirked and put her commandeered cup of tea back on the table before she continued, "But perhaps we should get to the point?"

Mai nodded her head, "That is fine with us. I take it you had time to look over my information?" Mai gestured at the scrolls still in the pouch on the table.

Azula nodded in the affirmative and took another sip of tea.

"And?" An impatient Zuko barely contained his growl this time.

"And what, Zuzu?"

Ty Lee covered her giggle with a cough as the Fire Lord turned three different shades of red. It was almost like old times.

"Damn it Azula! I don't have time for this!"

Azula winked at the lithe guard.

Just like old times.

"You know, Zuko? If I were you I think I'd take a different tone." Azula raised her hand to cut off her brother before he could protest. "Now, now it's impolite to interrupt. As I was saying, you need my help if you think you and your harlot are going to pull this off."

Mai's eyes glinted with a cold rage, "We don't _need_ you for anything Azula. You may be free for now, but please try to remember who is in charge here or you might end up back in a little cell. Now let's move pass this foolish posturing and get to it."

Azula merely smirked and placed her empty cup on the table.

"Fill that up and we can talk business."

Ty Lee poured the tea and tried to follow the shop-talk, but honestly this wasn't her forte. Many minutes later Ty Lee thought perhaps the meeting was finally coming to a close.

"You can't be serious?" Zuko incredulously asked the room at large.

Azula inspected her clipped nails before answering her brother, "Oh I am very serious."

"Mai, this is insane! Tell me you don't agree with her."

Mai sighed and stroked her blades for the hundredth time in just a few short minutes.

"I think we are going to have to agree...For now anyways."

Azula smirked as she rose to her feet.

"Then we are agreed?"

Mai nodded her head ever so slightly, but quickly added, "We are to be kept up-to-date on every new development."

Azula waved her off and beckoned for Ty Lee to join her as she swept out of the room with her scroll pouch in hand.

"As you wish, your Highness. I'll see you at the talks tomorrow."

Zuko gaped as the outer doors closed around his sister's back. That had not gone according to plan.

"Please tell me we did not agree to what I think we just agreed to."

Mai rolled her eyes, "Did you have a better idea?"

"Well...no," Zuko sulked, "But there has to be a less...manipulative way."

Mai didn't bother answering her naive husband.

Tap...Tap...Tap.

THUNK!

Zuko gulped as one of Mai's knives quivered in the table a few inches away from his tapping fingers.

"I believe I asked you to stop that."

* * *

Ty Lee hummed happily and pulled the ivory comb through her Princess' oiled hair. it was early morning and only her Princess, herself, and the various songbirds in the gardens seemed to be awake. And that was just fine with the acrobat. Everything had been moving so fast around the gymnast and her charge lately that she worried that it all could be a dream.

"What's the hold-up, Ty?" Eyes still closed, Azula asked her guard.

"Hmm 'Zula, What'cha say?"

Azula rolled her eyes, but happily leaned into the acrobat as she battled a particularly unruly knot.

"We have to go visit the noble district before the talks begin this morning, so I'll ask again: what is taking so long with my hair?"

In her bliss, Ty Lee had completely forgotten that they actually had a task to accomplish this morning. The guard pulled the ivory comb through the last clump of tangles and swept her princess' hair into the royal top-knot. She gently lifted the crown from its silk lining and placed it in silky hair. Azula admired her reflection for a moment before rising swiftly towards her armor.

The princess beckoned to her acrobat, "Come Ty, help me with my armor."

Ty Lee joyful bounded over to her princess and began placing the armor on her lover's taut body. As she buckled the bracers around the elegant forearms, she felt Azula's energy pulsing all the way to her fingertips. Looking up the bracers toward the breastplate she had already secured and the gorget that protected the royal porcelain neck, Ty saw the flush of excitement creep up the fire bender's throat and into her cheeks that were stretched in a predatory grin.

The sight left the lithe acrobat speechless.

"Ty Lee, your staring." The amused princess matter-of-factly stated.

The acrobat gulped and tried to regain her already limited composure before she replied simply, "Sorry 'Zula."

Azula lightly laughed at the flustered girl as she gently pushed Ty Lee's fingers away from her bracer.

"It's quite alright Ty. I can't say I don't enjoy being admired." Azula laughed louder as the guard blushed a pretty pink.

The acrobat looked down and mumbled something unintelligible.

Deadly exquisite fingers found their way underneath the guards rounded chin and gently lifted.

The fire prodigy smiled a gentle smile. A smile she had thought she had long forgotten and kindly order the acrobat to repeat herself.

Ty Lee obliged.

"It's just I like seeing you so excited. It's been so long." Gray eyes dodged gold as the acrobat spoke up.

"Well, with any luck you'll being seeing more of that in the foreseeable future. I can't wait to begin stirring up some trouble. These traitors and peasants have had it far too easy in the year I was...gone." The hand still cupping the acrobat's chin tightened its grip almost painfully before suddenly dropping away as the Princess turned to the door and ordered over her shoulder, "Come on now Ty, we have some noble feathers to ruffle."

Ty Lee sighed, but ran after her fearless leader. There was something not quite right about all this scheming, but spirits bless her if she could understand it all.

* * *

The tea steamed and the silk cushion sagged pleasantly. The Fire Princess languidly reclined as servants nervously bustled around her. They knew what sorts of nefarious punishments awaited them should they fail their master. Lord Shengi was not known for his mercy, but his creative abuses were well known throughout the servant class of the Capital.

"'Zula?" An inquisitively anxious voice sounded from behind the relaxing fire prodigy.

"Yes, you can sit." Azula waved off Ty Lee's question without ever looking at the guard.

Flabbergasted the acrobat looked for the right words to voice her real question.

When Azula noticed that her acrobat had not taken the cushion beside her, she turned to expectantly look at the guard.

"I take it you weren't asking for a seat?"

Ty shifted from foot-to-foot before answering her princess, "Well actually...no. Not that I don't appreciate the gesture! But really I had wanted to ask...Well it's just...Why are we at Lord Shengi's estate?"

"He is going to be a valuable ally." The Fire Princess assuredly stated as fact. After all, no one turned down an alliance with the princess...at least no one who was still alive and in power.

"But he's a needlessly cruel, evil man. I remember what the cooks use to say about him. The spirits' bane is what they use to call him. Remember when he had that little girl publicly flogged for spilling tea?"

Azula remembered it well enough. Fire-whips on an eight year old servant in the main square for spilling tea? It had...annoyed her. It had smacked of cowardice and it served no purpose.

"I remember Ty, but he is a powerful noble...coward or not. Now come sit. You might be my guard, but you are also a noble."

Ty Lee did as she was bade. Just as she settled into her cushion, their host burst from a set of doors opposite their low table. The elder man's slender frame bent from the waist before he approached the two fire nation women.

"Forgive me, my highness. Had I known that you were coming to my household I would have had better accommodations prepared." Lord Shengi's booming, jovial voice carried to his attended audience across the great hall.

Azula smiled at their host and bade him straighten his spine, "I should have requested a formal visit, but there are important matters that need to be discussed before the first diplomatic talks begin in earnest. Come and join us at your table."

The handsome elder man approached the table eagerly. There were games afoot and he always enjoyed the chance to carve out another small fortune for himself. When he finally reached the table he noticed his other seated guest.

"Ah Lady Ty Lee!" The smiling man exclaimed, "I am doubly blessed! I should have known that you would be attending your charge, but allow an old man his foolish giddiness at the sight of such beauties at his table."

Lord Shengi grasped Ty Lee's hand in his and brought his lips to her knuckles. The acrobat suppressed the urge to shudder violently at the feeling.

"Ahem." Azula cleared her throat loudly.

Lord Shengi's eyes sparkled as he took a seat across from his guests.

"We do have business to attend to."Azula attempted to end the lecherous glances the Lord kept sending her lover.

The Lord continued to smirk at the acrobat even as he agreed, "Yes, forgive me, your highness. It's just that I had been in conversations with Lady Ty Lee's mother about perhaps marrying her before she disappeared to join the circus. I had to select another for my wife, but now I'm doubting my impatience. Oh well, all is folly as they say."

Azula hid her urge to burn the fool as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"Truly a missed opportunity. However, we have things to discuss and precious little time to discuss them." Lord Shengi paused to take a sip of his tea. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of such important company?"

Azula silently let out the breath she had been withholding. Finally they could get down to business and she wouldn't even have to maim the Lord.

Azula took up her own cup of tea and warmed it as she indirectly answered the lord, "How is your younger brother? I had heard that he was a governor of a Fire Nation colony."

"He is well enough considering that he stands to lose his lands after these Harmony Restoration Movement talks end in the Capital."

"And his men? How do they take the lose of their lands?"

Lord Shengi scowled into his teacup. This was a touchy subject, as his esteemed younger brother had already demanded a rather considerable portion of their ancestral Fire Nation lands in order to insure that his men did not rise up against the elder Shengi when they returned to the Fire Nation.

"What is the point of this conversation, if I should be so bold, your highness?" The temperamental noble sneered.

Azula hid a grin behind her teacup as she ever so slowly finished the last of her tea.

This would be easier than she thought.

Azula set her now empty cup in front of the disgruntled lord.

"Refill that, Lord Shengi."

As the lord refilled the drink and pushed it back to the royal, Azula began to lay out her plan to the noble, "What if I said I knew there was a way for your brother and his men to happily stay in the Fire Nation colonies?"

"I'd say I was interested." The Lord cautiously remarked.

Azula smiled and took sip of the freshly poured tea before she continued, "Do you know of other nobles who would like to see their family remain in the Fire Nation colonies?"

The Fire Nation lord snorted, "Plenty, why?"

"Do you have any way of uniting these nobles under you?"

Lord Shengi rubbed his hands together nervously. He knew he could easily unite these nobles, but that might be seen as a sign of treason. He was in no hurry to be burned alive. However, he was also not eager to share his wealth with his brother. Besides, Princess Azula would find someone else to do it if he did not. Of that he was sure. The fire prodigy always got her way in the end.

"Perhaps, if there was something in it for them, anyways."

Azula smirked. She had her man.

"Oh trust me there is. If they follow orders, their families will continue to reign in the Fire Nation colonies. Is that enough of an incentive?"

"What would you have us do, your highness?"

Azula stood as she gave out her orders.

"Gather these nobles and bring them with you to the palace during the talks this morning. Voice your desire to see the Fire Nation colonies to continue to exist. You needn't fear retribution. I can control my brother."

Lord Shengi ponder these orders, but in the end he knew there was only one right answer.

"Consider it done, my Princess."

Azula smiled predatorily as she exited the room and the estate.

"Make certain of it, Lord Shengi."

Ty Lee followed her princess out of the estate with a heavy heart. Something was wrong here.

Little did she know how right she was.

* * *

Next time the talks begin with a bang!

If anyone has an interest in beta-ing this story, then I would be happy to have a beta. My grammar is atrocious & I need someone on my back to make me update sooner. Work, grad school and family take up a vast majority of my time, but if someone was badgering me I think I'd find the energy to write more.

Thanks for reading!


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